Thirty Days of Phai
by toobeauty
Summary: Hephaestion Amyntoros was a remarkable man, not only because he was Alexander the Great's Chilliarch, General and Soul mate but also because he was a gift from the gods to humankind. We are going to read about his 33 years in 30 days, showing the different aspects of this warrior, thinker, lover and too much more. This is my NaNoWriMo 2012. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**TITLE: _Thirty Days of Phai_**

PAIRING: Hephaestion and Alexander. Many OCCs will appear, some of them are already known from other stories and some are new. A bunch of Olympians and some Companions but many of them do not resemble to the historical ones.

RATING: R to NC-17

CATEGORY: Historical AU.

DISCLAMER: I don't know the people involved, no harm intended, everything is product of my imagination, but I wouldn't mind sharing my life with the blue eyed god.

WARNINGS: I used some historical facts but rearranged them to fix the story, this is totally an Alternative Universe and not an awful History lesson.

NO BETA so all mistakes are mine.

FEEDBACK: comments are love! Yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.

_**Prologue.**_

People have been born since the beginning of times, since the gods decided that this ball of land and water they called earth was too empty and silent.

Some gods had taken seriously the task of creating these human beings; others were reckless that is why good and bad people populated the earth.

Unluckily, evil people spread too much faster than the good ones so when a good person was born, they would outstand from the scum.

This is the case of Hephaestion Amyntoros, a remarkable man who was born to bring light to the darkness; to bring intelligence to a narrow-minded society; to bring courage and loyalty into a world of wars and betrayals; to bring beauty into a dull world; to bring love and to share it with his soul mate until the stars grow cold …


	2. Day 1

_**Day One: The Olympians' wish.**_

It is said that all the people in the world are already born before they enter the physical world. They live in that special place called limbo in peace, surrounded by happiness and planning what they will do once they reach the physical world. They also spend a great deal of time thinking how they would achieve their goals. People know that they cannot do all on their own so they look for the best parents or family to be born in so, in that way, they can fulfill the plan they have already designed while living in the limbo.

To get everything you have already planned, you need to be a child, a baby to be exact, because that is the only way to start the journey, just from the very beginning, and slowly make your way into the world. Sometimes the path can be easy, most of the times it is difficult and hardly ever boring.

The simple act of being born is one of the most exciting experiences a human being can live through and it probably gets more exciting and adventurous when a group of gods and goddesses decide to intervene, even meddle, in a person's life. It is probably more dangerous when they decide to modify the existent rules not only for one person but also for two of them; because they stubbornly believed that the world will need them to be a better place to live in.

He was not the exception.

Even before his parents thought of having him, he was already an idea in the Olympians' minds and the more they thought about him, the more possible that idea became. After nearly five centuries of good and deep thinking, because centuries are just a blink in time for the gods, they decided to put their hands into action and they got together to plan how they would do that.

He was the exception this time.

Mean words, loud shouts and even blows were exchanged among the Olympians in the first meetings and, after long hours of discussions, they were still unable to reach to a common decision. The father of all the gods and goddesses of the Olympus and also the one and only creator of humankind, the almighty Zeus, had been ignored royally by the rest of his offspring. No one had ever doubted about Zeus's capability to father a new human being; no one had ever defied his authority when he had decided to take a human form and partake in the delights of the flesh with a willing woman and gave origin to a series of heroes and semi gods; so no one could understand why this simple mortal, who had not even been born yet, was already causing so many problems.

The simple answer came from a goddess, the beautiful Aphrodite, who clearly stated that this singular man would be like a lighthouse for the stranded, he would be comfort for the distraught, a safe harbour for the adventurous, strength for the weak and intelligence for the stubborn. He would look at the world with kind eyes; he would be merciful but not weak; he would be a follower but with the heart of a leader, he would be loyal but never a sycophant, he would love unconditionally but never blindly.

Everyone listened to the goddess, her speech fired the enthusiasm of the reunited gods, and for the first time during the long discussions, they reached an agreement unanimously. They would all take part on the birth of this singular and remarkable man and each of the participants would give him their best. A shy and weak voice was heard from the back of the room, the voice belonged to the naughty Eris so all the gods were on the alert because it was a bit strange that she sounded so gentle and wanting to please the others. When she was granted permission to talk, she suggested to include not only virtues but one or two tiny flaws in his character, just to prevent him believing a god in himself.

The gods and goddesses gave her suggestion a deep thinking; they accepted it and they all finally agreed that those flaws would be related to his character and never to his physical appearance. They also decided that they would be things the man could be able to deal with if he was in danger or he was helping others. They gave that idea another deep thinking and two flaws appeared to be the winners, self-sacrifice and stubbornness.

After the exhausting meeting, the gods and the goddesses were restless, so father Zeus invited them to have dinner together at the palace and he also offered the unusual pleasure of drinking some ambrosia served by the very handsome Ganymede in person. The immortals were really excited, they were accustomed to Zeus's generosity but the god father was always very reluctant to share his cup bearer with the rest of his children.

They had a succulent dinner and they drank large amounts of the delicious nectar while listening to the most beautiful music from the double flutes and the little cymbals. But when night fell in the world beneath their feet, Zeus asked them to go back to their homes and rest because the following day was going to be a very important one. All the present gods and goddesses felt their blood boiling in their veins because the big day had already come.

The beautiful Eos painted the sky rose announcing the arrival of the new day to the mortals living beneath them. Helios appeared in the horizon with his chariot bringing the light and the warmth of his rays, even though the mortals were still sleeping, and in calmness, the Olympians were in a real state of agitation since the wee hours of that particular day. They were all running from one side to the other, gathering all the things they thought they might need and bumping into each other in their hurry to get to the designed place first.

Nevertheless, father Zeus beat them all because when they arrived he had already started. The almighty god had spent the whole night travelling around the known world, choosing the correct combination of soils to make the body of this new man. After a close investigation, he decided to combine the different soils from the Greek lands and those belonging to the eastern territories, still unknown by the Greeks but that he hoped this man would help to conquer and rule with intelligence. The final result was pleasing to the eye because he had obtained a mass of a golden colour with a slight touch of bronze. He began to mix again, he got a malleable and coloured uniform mass, so he started to shape it into a human body. Zeus knew that the man, when fully developed, would be quite tall and with a strong frame. However, he did not give him a colossal height because he wanted people to trust him and not to be afraid of his size or muscled body. He moulded it and calculated how much of that mass would be dormant until this baby became an adult.

The rest of the gods and goddesses looked at their father work, they were astonished when they saw how Zeus finished the frame, and he let them approach to see the result. Even though it looked like an empty container, each of the gods present could picture with their inner eye what they would add to make of that their best creation.

Gentle Aphrodite approached first and, as she had been the one who had explained the true nature of this new being, she was named his life protector. She was so happy that she brought her husband Hephaestus with her and the blind and crippled god offered his gift, a unique sword made in the same forge he used to create most of the gods' equipment and some heroes' weapons such as the armor of Achilles. Then they left the place to Helios who warmed the body until it got a golden hue in its skin and then he intensified his heat and gave the hair a darker tone, a mixture between bronze and gold.

As the room was too hot, another god approached bringing the coolness of the seawater. Poseidon arrived riding two waves, big and majestic, with a unique shade of blue and they immediately jumped onto the body, cooling the still hot skin and taking final residence in the sockets of his eyes creating two amazing pools of heaven. The god knew that his eyes would be the kind of jewels entire empire would go to battle over.

Demeter offered rose petals to create his soft velvety lips and to give that healthy colour to his high cheekbones. Apollo offered just a little bit of his beauty, as he did not want to have a powerful rival walking among his mortals on the face of the earth. Hera offered her politeness and kindness of heart, she also gifted him the ability to give life, and she felt proud of herself because that gift would distinguish even more this remarkable man. Athena filled his mind with wisdom and mental speed. Ares provided him with courage but he was obliged to offer it devoid of the dangerous feeling of revenge. Finally, Eris was the goddess who gifted him his two flaws and so self-sacrifice and stubbornness stained slightly his perfection.

Zeus was going to give the final touches to their combined creation when a shy Eros approached the tall god and asked him to kneel by his side. The god of love whispered if it would not be a good idea to bestow a special partner upon this special man to share his life with. Zeus thought for a while and then decided that he would wait some months before creating that special partner but he encouraged Eros to give the man his gift while he was still around. The winged god flew in circles over the still body and then he approached him and kissed his chest, over his heart, giving him the ability to find and live eternal and true love.

Zeus asked the present gods if any of them had any other thing to add to their man; the gods and goddesses looked among them but everyone had already given him what they wanted. Therefore, the god father announced that he was going to seal the body but first he was going to insufflate his breath of life onto the still body. He knelt by the human being-to be and cradled him between his strong arms. Looking fixedly into his lifeless but beautiful eyes, Zeus blew life into him but, as he was feeling proud and generous with this new creation, he deepened his gift and added an extra amount of life force that would remain dormant until the need awoke it. He also gifted the possibility of transferring this life force to the one and only who could truly hold his heart.

At the same time as Zeus was blowing his life force into this being, a young Greek woman, in a farmhouse in the southern lands of Greece, felt a tingle run along her belly and she also felt how her womb was filled with life. She laughed loudly because she realized that her prays had been listened by her gods and that she had been blessed with a new baby. She ran towards the barn to give the news to her loving husband while laughs and cheers could be heard in mount Olympus.

A new baby was going to enter the physical world.

He was the exception to all the existing rules.

He was a gift from the gods to humankind.

He was going to make a difference.

It is said that some people come into our life and leave footprints in our hearts ….

This baby would turn into a remarkable man and he would definitely leave his footprints in history…


	3. Day 2

_**Day Two: A particular shade of Blue.**_

Hephaestion's eyes showed different shades of blue according to his mood, it was quite a peculiar characteristic of the remarkable man and it had been like that since the day he was born in that distant autumn day, that had been strangely warm for that season of the year.

His mother, who had lost her hope of having more children, was thrilled when she discovered that she was pregnant again. After having raised three other children, all of them grown men and brave soldiers as their father at the moment, she had much free time in her hands and she realized that this baby would be the prize in her golden years. She did not mind having another boy but she secretly wished for a girl who would keep her company while her four courageous men were far away, fighting for their Macedonian king.

The due date was close and, as Queen Olympias was expecting too, her second child in her case, King Philip had decided to stay in his kingdom to wait for the arrival of his baby while his diplomats were sent to missions to the different territories so they could tie new bonds with the recently conquered territories and their peoples.

Amyntas was back from the palace, after a long debriefing with King Philip, and his three sons were with him; they wanted to visit their mother before going back to their own homes where wives and children were looking forward to seeing them again after such a long and difficult campaign.

Lady Amyntoros was resting in her garden, sitting on a comfortable couch; her ankles were swollen due to her pregnancy and it had been difficult for her to walk properly these last days. Her maids were worried about her health; even though she was well, they were looking after her quite thoroughly because none of them wanted anything to happen to her, especially when their master was not in the farmhouse to help.

She had her eyes closed while she absently caressed her swollen belly. The baby inside it had always been a very quiet one, never bringing her any problem but today the baby had been particularly restless during the whole morning, since the very early hours of it. The baby had been moving and kicking her gently but kicking her anyway. The movements had intensified in the last hour so she decided to take a longer nap in the quietest place in the house and still enjoyed the weak warmth of the autumn day.

As soon as the heavy footsteps and the baritone voices were heard inside the house, the baby started to move so much that Lady Amyntoros had to grab her belly tight. She was folded over her own stomach, leaning forwards and she was still cradling it between her arms when she was found in that disturbing position by her four men, who suddenly ran towards her and started to bombard her with tons of questions; their voices laced with concern and fear.

She started to take deep breaths and everything got calmer inside her belly when Amyntas set his big right hand over the taut skin and caressed it gently with his callous fingers. He leant over and spoke directly to the baby inside his wife's womb:

"Soothe baby, don't kick your mummy like that because it hurts"

…. And miraculously, the kicking and movements stopped.

"He likes your voice, Sire" said lady Amyntoros while she pushed herself upwards to sit more comfortable.

Her sons hurried immediately to her side to help her, bringing some more cushions and a glass of fresh water.

Amyntas leaned over his wife and took her soft pinkish lips in a tender kiss but as usually happened to them due to their deep love, the desire for each other grew with every passing minute. One of his sons, the eldest of the three, Lysander, cleared his voice lowly once but the gesture did not affect the recently met lovers. He cleared his voice once more, a bit louder this time and at the repeated sound, the couple ended their kiss and then the battle-proved General stepped backwards, licking his lips as he could still taste his wife's tenderness and love in his lips. He then turned to look at his sons with a smirk in his face. After seeing the astonished expressions in their young faces, he smiled openly because, even though their sons were adults and they had wives and families of their own, they were still reluctant to accept that their parents still have a very active and healthy sexual life.

The whole family shared a late hearty meal in the kitchen and even though the men ate everything with too much gusto, lady Amyntoros did not eat too much, she spent the whole meal moving the food around the plate and just taking one or two bites of the meat and vegetables. When the meal was nearly over, she stood up from her chair and started to wander around the room, arranging things that were perfectly in order and cleaning others that were already spotless.

Lysander looked at his father and a broad smile appeared in his handsome face, he then added:

"She has begun to nest, papa the baby is coming soon" the man had seen the same signs with his younger brothers and with his own wife when she was expecting his children.

"I think you are right, son. Please go and tell Lena to be ready and to gather all the necessary things for the delivery. As you have just said, the baby will be here soon" Amyntas said while taking his wife to their chamber, walking slowly and whispering words of love into her ear.

After talking for some minutes among them, the three sons decided to stay for the incoming birth as Lena, after checking her mistress's state, had assured them that it would not take longer. The young men sent three stable boys, one to each of the their houses, to let their wives and children know that they were back and safe but that they would be in their parents' house waiting for the arrival of the baby.

As the three houses were relatively near, within the hour, the three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren arrived at the Amyntoros' farmhouse, bringing food for the men and presents for the newborn.

The whole atmosphere inside the house was festive and the people's moods were quite high because the last baby had been born eight years ago and she was soon was going to be a proud aunt. Nobody could deny that the newcomer would be spoiled rotten, not only by his parents and elder brothers but also by four very young aunts and uncles.

The pain began slowly, coming in slow waves that made the skin of the belly stretch and then relax almost immediately after. Then it intensified preparing lady Amyntoros's body for the last stage of her very easy an peaceful pregnancy.

Lena entered the room and gently commanded everybody to go outside to wait because the baby was due any time soon. She set several fluffy towels, made of the finest Egyptian cotton and three sets of bowls with tepid water to use in the delivery. If this baby were similar to the other three, the birth would be quick and uneventful. The other three babies had been born with nearly five kilos each, with a mop of blonde thin hair on top of their babies' heads and round-shaped green eyes, the spitting image of their mother and they had all turned into gorgeous and strong men, who had fathered gorgeous babies too.

Lena and two other maids were present next to the woman lying on the bed, as well as her husband who had refused to leave her alone. The hardened warrior had bathed and changed his dusty clothes and he was now wearing clean clothes to assist his wife in her delivery. He was sat next to her, with one of her small hands between his huge ones while he dried the sweat from her forehead.

A strong contraction attacked her body and Lena could see the baby's head crowning. The woman on the bed pushed once more and the head was completely out and, at that precise moment, the fire in the fireplace grew by itself and produced big flames catching the attention of all the people there.

"If it is a boy, I know how I will name him" lady Amyntoros announced between deep intakes of air.

The woman said that with such confidence in her tiny voice that her husband, who had always named all his sons, did not dare to contradict his beloved wife's wish.

The next contraction and following push let the baby release the full head and his narrow shoulders completely, Lena was surprised to find a brunette mop on the round head, and she instantly knew that the baby was going to be more special than the others were.

One last and strong push let the baby out of the comfortable nest that had been holding and taking care of him for the last nine months. Lena took the baby in her hands; she immediately cleaned the nostrils and mouth and handed to the father. Amyntas looked at him and proceeded to cut the umbilical cord with the very same dagger that had cut the previous cords and many others before those. The General, who already had a cotton blanket in his hands, wrapped the baby in it and lifted him above his head and proudly announced "It is a boy" and after leaving his first fatherly kiss on the baby's forehead, he gave him to his mother who immediately cuddled him against her warm chest. The baby pursed his mouth, wrinkled his button nose, yawned widely and when all that was over, he blinked several times and finally opened his eyes, fixing them onto his mother's face.

A general sound of surprise could be heard in the room, it was so loud that the ones who were waiting outside the chamber, entered to see what was happening.

They approached the bed and looked at the baby in lady Amyntoros's arms. The newborn, mesmerized by his mother's face, looked at her again, opening his eyes wider and so the rest could see what had caused the previous sound of surprise.

The baby's eyes were baby blue, so clear, so crystal blue that it seemed as if you were looking into the waters of the Aegean Sea. It had a unique shade of blue and he was the first of the Amyntoros' boys to have eyes like his father's but with a different shade of blue, clearer, brighter … more lively.

Once the general surprise was over, lady Amyntoros kissed her newborn baby's forehead and said:

"I name you Hephaestion Amyntoros, son of Amyntas and I am sure that you will be a very special man. Honour your name, be loyal to your family, be strong but merciful, love and be true to your heart because that is what will make you loved by all"

All the people present were truly moved by lady Amyntoros' words especially because she was always the quietest of the family, more prone to listen than to speak, always ready to follow than to lead …

The new uncles and aunts gathered around their grandmother's bed and greeted the baby with sweet kisses and gentle caresses. They also took turns during the whole day to carry him in their arms, under the strict vigilance of their mothers. The small people in the family looked at the baby as if he were the newest toy and they were already thinking what they would teach him as soon as he started to move on his own.

Lady Amyntoros started to doze and so her husband asked the rest of the family to move their celebration outside the room so mother and baby could get a well-deserved rest.

She set more comfortably on her back and after some minutes, she rolled to her right side while the baby rolled to his left and they were facing each other.

"Rest my Phai, grow strong, be brave and love without restriction, I could foresee a great future waiting for you"

The baby looked at his mother and, even with his still blurred vision, he saw unconditional love in her emerald eyes and heard the warmth of her words in her soothing voice. Cuddling against her chest, he closed his baby blue eyes and went to sleep, feeling safe in the arms of his mother.


	4. Day 3

**_Day Three: A faithful four-legged friend._**

Little Hephaestion had always liked animals, it did not matter their size or their appearance, he just liked animals in general. Since the moment he was able to crawl, Hephaestion started to investigate his surroundings, being his mother's garden his favourite and most visited place in the house. The place was full of trees, flowers and weeds so it offered a variety of insects and little animals to investigate and, nobody knew why, but he always seemed to be surrounded by them. Everybody said that it was because the little boy was kind and had a heart of gold and because of that, the animals, even considered lesser beings, had that extra sense to discover goodness.

Luckily, the little Hephaestion had never contracted any allergies to any of them and the insects and little animals had been nice enough with him so none of them had ever stung or bitten him at all.

Toddler Hephaestion was sitting in the middle of a patch of green grass when he was surprised by the appearance of a colourful butterfly. The small insect flew around him, bating its brilliant royal blue wings really quickly and the fast movements of those little wings called the boy's attention. His eyes, a similar blue hue as the wings of the butterfly, followed the gorgeous and eye-catching insect and its subtle skipping from flower to flower but when the butterfly got further into the garden, Hephaestion decided to stand up in his still wobbly fat and short legs and went after the winged insect. The butterfly went on flying forwards, taking the little boy far away from the security of the garden and his house.

He went on walking and suddenly the little flying insect disappeared between some high branches. Lots of fat tears fell from those blue eyes and rolled down the chubby cheeks and the little toddler sobbed quite loudly at the loss of his new flying friend.

Tears and sobs came suddenly to an end when a big fat frog passed jumping by his side. The little boy turned, once more, into an explorer and happily tried to imitate the jumps of the interested green friend. His imitations ended with more failures than successes but Hephaestion was happy in spite of having his roundish knees covered in mud and stains of grass.

The fat frog was quickly jumping towards the small but deep lake that was on the furthest border of the Amyntoros' farmlands. Hephaestion continued jumping after the bouncing green friend and, as he was still a little boy, he did not realize that the soil around the shores of the lake was not as firm as the one he had been jumping on. The land, continuously damp due to the tiny waves that reached its shores, was always slippery and the grass in the vicinity of the lakesides was not so firmly attached to the soil as the rest of green patches in the garden.

The fat frog gave a long jump and landed onto a big white water lily and the boy, trying to imitate his new jumping friend, jumped onto another water lily, next to the frog's, without realizing that he was much heavier and that the small aquatic flower would not be able to support his weight. The little boy sunk almost immediately into the dirty and muddy water and a lot of that mucky liquid entered through Hephaestion's nostrils and his little open mouth. As soon as his head went underwater, he tried to open his eyes under the water but it was so dirty that he could see neither clear nor anything.

All the people, even the youngest ones, had an instinct of survival; that instinct kicked as soon as the little boy realized that he was in big trouble and that his parents were going to ground him until his puberty.

He started to move his short legs, kicking quickly while trying to get his head out of the water. His also short arms were moving too, keeping him afloat as soon as his head was out of the water.

But after some minutes, the strenuous ordeal was taking his toll on the tiny body. Little Hephaestion was getting tired of kicking and his low shouts of "mummy" only made things worse as more dirty water entered his mouth.

He started to whine and it sounded as a baby animal in pain or in danger. He was about to sink again when a big splash of water hit his face. He blinked many times to clear his eyes of the excess of water in them and he suddenly felt himself being lifted up by the collar of his long sleeping dress and, with his short legs still kicking in the air, he was taken out of the water and left on the lakeside.

Little Hephaestion was on his knees and hands and coughing water when he felt a warm tongue licking the side of his face. He lifted his head and he found himself looking into the yellowish eyes of a big wolf, which went on licking his dirty face as if little Hephaestion were one of the cubs in her pack.

- "Good doggie, save Phaistion" the two-year-old boy said while patting the wolf's silver fur.

Hephaestion approached his tiny mouth to the wolf's face and kissed the wet black muzzle. The toddler remained sit for a while until his cough was over and the wolf sat by his side, setting her big furry head onto the short legs and the rest of her warm body stuck to the boy's fragile frame as the animal had already sensed that the little one was cold.

Suddenly there were shouts and frantic movements in the woods; several pairs of heavy footsteps could be listened in the distance, covering different areas of the place and the shouts calling Hephaestion's name came from different voices too; his mother's voice was the louder and the one that sounded more desperate.

Footsteps and voices came closer and Hephaestion started to listen to them, he had been so happy with his new puppy that he had not paid too much attention to his surroundings. He was really tired and he had not realized that the temperature had dropped quite a lot due to the approaching evening and he had already forgot that his clothes were still drenched and pasted against his already cold skin.

A loud sneeze left his tiny button-nose and the wolf got closer to the toddler to share her body heat. Suddenly, while she was lying spooning the tiny frame, she pricked up her pointy ears as she listened to a twig breaking nearby. She stood up, set in front of her human cub and adopted her defensive posture. As soon as Amyntas and his wife appeared in front of them, the she wolf showed her sharp and dangerous teeth in a really menacing way while she stood up fully, on her four legs and showing, once more, her full height and strength.

- "Phai baby; stay calm, don't move and the wolf will not harm you" lady Amyntoros told her little baby in her softest voice. She was already feeling calmer because she had given him a quick look and he seemed unharmed, just dirty and wet.

- "No mummy, big doggie save Phaistion" the little brunette informed his mother, using his baby talk, and feeling happy.

He stood up and immediately hugged the wolf's thick neck. The furry animal lost a bit of her menacing posture and turned her head to lick the little boy's nose and mouth, just to check that he was doing fine after his fall into the cold dirty water of the lake. The boy returned her caring gesture with a big and sloppy kiss on the animal's nose and then they both sneezed.

The fierce warrior looked at his youngest son and smiled widely because the great future his mother had foreseen two years ago, the very same day he was born, it was beginning to come true. The tiny boy had not only survived the fall into the lake but he had also tamed a she wolf, a great feat for a boy of only two years. Maybe, one day in that bright future that was already waiting for him, his little Hephaestion would be a tamer of men.

Boy and she wolf started to walk towards Hephaestion's parents and, as soon as they got there, the she wolf stood in front of her little charge as if she was still guarding him. Lady Amyntoros looked at the animal with a worried and puzzled expression in her face but Amyntas understood the situation quickly. Moving very slowly, he knelt in the same spot he had been standing and left his weapons by his sides. Then he proceeded to stand up again, as slowly as he had moved before, and outstretching his arms in front of him, he showed his bare hands to the wolf, letting know her by that gesture that he did not intend to hurt her.

The she wolf looked backwards to look at her little human cub and then forwards to look at the other two human beings facing her, finally, she gently pushed little Hephaestion towards his parents without taking her yellowish eyes from them.

As soon as lady Amyntoros had little Hephaestion between her arms, she sat on the grass and quickly took the wet sleeping garment off and wrapped him in her wool cloak and then she started to rub the tiny limbs and hair to get him warm. The she wolf sat beside them and offered her own coat of thick grey fur to warm the little one. Lady Amyntoros caressed the animal's head and whispered a "Thanks" against it. It was, in that instant, that an understanding was born between those mothers, in spite of their different nature.

His husband helped her onto her feet and they started to go back to their house with their precious treasure safe and sound. A low whine made little Hephaestion open his cyan eyes, which had been closed for a while due to the previous ordeal and his mother's comfortable and warm arms. The little boy saw his furry friend, lying on the wet grass with her head resting between her front legs, and her eyes had the saddest expression the little boy had ever seen.

- "Come doggie, come home with Phaistion" he called the wolf with his little head resting onto his mother's comfortable shoulder.

The animal immediately understood the little one's command and lifting her strong and heavy frame from where she had been resting, she followed her new human friends.

The woman wrapped the boy tighter in her arms and against her chest and she walked quickly towards the big farmhouse. The she wolf stopped and lay outside their front door, as if she did not want to enter the house in that moment but it also seemed that she did not want to leave Hephaestion alone. She found a comfortable place and after walking around it for a while, she finally threw herself onto the floor by the front door.

The little boy's adventure in the woods and his fall into the lake did not go unnoticed and both parents told the boy off for escaping and putting himself in danger. However, the telling-off lasted nothing, little Hephaestion got a serious ear and throat infection due to the dirt that had entered in them during the fall and a high fever attacked the little body. His parents, brothers, relatives and all the people working on the farm were really worried because after a week, the boy did not get better.

The she wolf that, by now had been named Sotiris and that it meant Saviour, had not left the boy's bedside and she had even dared to lie next to him on the bed, licking his hands as if she could bring him back from his delirium. Nobody knew if what she did helped or not but, after sleeping next to the boy, sharing her body heat with him, the illness attacking his body disappeared and the boy recovered his health.

Sotiris became an important member of the Amyntoros family and it was normal seeing little Hephaestion and his she wolf pet and guardian walking side by side. Where one was, the other one was too.

She was Hephaestion's most loyal friend and nobody dared to set them apart so it was not strange to see them together travel to Mieza where the young master was going to study under Aristotle or later seeing them go into battle together.

Unfortunately, Sotiris died after the battle of Chaeronea and her friend and owner of her heart cried her death bitterly, finding no comfort.

Hephaestion took Sotiris back home and buried her near the lakeside where she had saved Hephaestion's life and the man planted wild blue flowers to remember her.

He swore not to have another pet and he kept that promise until his own death.


	5. Day 4

_**Day Four: The little inventor.**_

Hephaestion had always shown, since his very early days as a baby, signs of his uniqueness. The baby had been a very wished one but he had arrived unexpectedly, as if he had himself made his appearance in this world, when he wanted or when he was really prepared to face this physical world that frightened him at the very beginning of his existence.

As regards his physical appearance, he was completely different to his elder brothers, while the other three boys were blond, Hephaestion's hair was brunette with some shades of bronze and copper. His brothers had bright and round green eyes like emeralds while he had big and almond-shaped eyes like sapphires. They had been chubby and short children while Hephaestion had a lean body and he was quite tall for a boy of his age.

At five, his curiosity had grown too much, the same curiosity that had made him live through a near death experience by nearly drowning in the lake but, that in the positive side had made him found Sotiris, his she wolf pet three years ago and it had also made him live many other adventures in the years to come.

His parents saw with delight how his independence grew hand in hand with that moving curiosity and his quick intelligence. The little boy was like a sponge, always ready to learn and investigate and all that was driven by a strong will and a firm determination to get what he wanted. Some could see that as stubbornness but even being young, he was able to keep it in control.

However, he was the most merciful and generous boy that had ever lived on the big farmhouse and its surrounding areas. He was always ready to help anyone in need and offer his comfort; he did not mind sharing his own things with anyone who had less than he did. Sometimes his generosity went to the extremes and he was left with nothing for himself but he had always said that he was sure that the gods would provide him with what he truly lacked in his times of need. No one knew why little Hephaestion had such a strong connection with the gods, especially with Hephaestus and his beautiful wife Aphrodite, but it was not unusual to find him talking to them. He was used to retelling them his day activities, his wishes and even his secret dreams … dreams that included travelling to far away exotic lands, meeting interesting people, living adventures and many other things.

Another characteristic that called everybody's attention was Hephaestion's eidetic memory. The boy could remember by heart everything that he had seen or listened, even if it had been once, and then, when asked about that he could retell it, up to the tiniest details.

His father Amyntas tried to encourage him in practicing this gift as much and often as it was possible. The brave warrior could already see his little Hephaestion as a great asset to the Macedonian Army because he would be the perfect man to send in recognition missions and at drawing the so important and necessary maps. He could not wait to see Hephaestion join the Army and fight next to him and his other three sons.

Therefore, Hephaestion's childhood days were filled with many adventures that shaped the little one's mind and forged his strong character.

Everyone who saw the event develop would remember that day. The little boy woke up early as every day to have breakfast with his mother and the loyal Sotiris by his feet. His father was not there because he had been summoned by king Philip to the royal palace.

Mother and son shared some honey-sweetened milk and many slices of freshly baked bread. No one in the house could understand how Hephaestion could eat so much without gaining any extra weight. His mother said that it was possible because the boy was in constant movement since the very moment he got up until he went to bed again.

After eating such a hearty breakfast, the boy's stomach was full; consequently, the little brunette was more than happy so much so that he decided that he would help his mother in the garden because she was going to prepare the furrows and flowerbeds to be sowed as spring would be coming soon.

Five –year-old Hephaestion was on his knees with a little spade in his hands and Sotiris next to him with a tiny bucket hanging from her mouth. The little one was looking at his mother's garden but anyone who looked at his eyes could see that his sight was not completely there; those cyan eyes had a look in them as if they were able to peep beyond the things until they reached their inner core.

"What are you doing son?" lady Amyntoros asked after looking at his son so quiet for long minutes.

"I am seeing" Hephaestion replied seriously.

"And what are you seeing?" she asked again.

"Your garden, mother" he replied simply.

"What can you see in it, it is almost bare of flowers and trees in this time of the year" the mother explained quietly.

"That is like that because you are just looking and I am seeing it all in bloom, look at the rose bushes and the different colours of their growing buds, there are pink, red, orange and white and look at those tiny flowers in the branches of the apple and plum trees, there will be lots of fruits this year" Hephaestion said

"I think the strong sun has heated your head badly, you must be feverish if you can see all of hat in such a deserted garden" her mother said worried and approaching her son to take him inside the house.

"I am not feverish, touch my forehead, it is fresh" little Hephaestion said a bit angry.

"If that is true, why are you describing things that are not visible, son?" she asked more worried than before.

"Because you don't always have to use your eyes to see; you can also see with your inner eye, that one that is connected to your imagination and so you can wish that those images you have can come true" Hephaestion replied.

"By sweet Aphrodite, you are such a dreamer, my son" lady Amyntoros said giggling.

"I am not a dreamer, I am a thinker and I will be a soldier like papa and my elder brothers" Hephaestion announced proudly.

"You can also be a teacher and stay away from danger, you can teach future soldiers and … " the mother was interrupted by the little boy.

"No, mother, I am a thinker, a constructor and a soldier. I am going to live my adventures in the flesh; I don't want to dream about exotic lands, places and people. I want to conquer them, to see them with my own eyes and to meet them; I don't want to listen about them through other people's lips" Hephaestion replied fervently.

"You dream big, my boy" the woman said while kissing her boy's forehead, and she secretly discovered that it was fresh as the little one had said before.

"The gods had given me lots of dreams and I am going to make them all true" he said totally convinced of his own capacity to carry out such a great feat.

"Of course, I believe you, Hephaestion. Your strong will is the most important of your many attitudes towards life" she said seriously.

" I know, mother. By the way, why don't we plant a new tree there and we move …" the little boy began to speak enthusiastically.

Mother and son spent the whole day working in the garden. They stopped only to have something to eat and drink and after that, lady Amyntoros gave her son a thorough bath in spite of his son's protests that he was old enough to do it alone. His loud protests fell in deaf ears, his mother, not only bathed him thoroughly, she also massaged the lithe and slender body with sandalwood oil, a treat that would be enjoyed by the little boy and that he would go on enjoying in his youth and adult age, especially as a foreplay activity before making love with his life partner.

The young brunette fell asleep immediately after his bath and he did not wake for some hours. Lady Amyntoros checked on him frequently because it was strange that he was so quiet, however, she knew he was fine because his face showed a tiny smile in his pinkish lips and his eyes were quickly moving beneath his eyelids, showing that he was in deep sleep and dreaming peacefully.

She was washing some vegetables in the kitchen when she saw little Hephaestion appear, the boy still had a sleepy and dreamy look in his cyan eyes and she smiled at seeing him so rested. The boy climbed up a high chair and stood on it to reach a jar with honey and nuts cookies.

"What are you doing, little man, with that cookie jar?" the mother asked smiling widely.

"I am very hungry, mama" little Hephaestion explained seriously.

"And why those cookies and not some slices of white bread?" she asked again, knowing the answer already.

"Because they are so delicious and I need more strength now" the boy explained again, looking at her with a determined look in his clear eyes.

"And why do you need more strength, son? Are you planning any adventure in the dark? Because if you were, I am telling you that you are not going near the garden until tomorrow" she said, a bit too serious for Hephaestion's liking.

"No nothing to do with that, mother. I had a lot of beautiful dreams while I was napping and I need to draw them before I forget them" he said, biting a large chunk of the sweet treat.

"What are your dreams about this time, son?" she asked curiously because her youngest son had always had the strangest ideas while sleeping.

"Different things but mainly about some devices to use at war so they can help papa and my brothers to win more battles for our king" he replied proudly as if he could already see them using them in their next war.

"What a pity!" his mother said sighing loudly.

"What is a pity, mama?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"It is a pity dreaming only about things that can kill and bring chaos and death" she replied sadly.

"But they can also save many lives if they use them well" Hephaestion said.

"May be you are right" she said and left a long sigh out.

"Don't be sad, mama, I also dreamt about beautiful things too" he said and looked attentively to his mother's face.

"Can you tell me about them?" she asked, a tiny smile gracing her reddish lips.

"I can show you but first I need scroll and pencil to draw, many of them, mama" the boy said while taking the stool back to the table and sitting on it again.

When the boy finished eating his three biscuits, his smother had already come back and she had brought with her all what he needed. He immediately began drawing and sketching different things on different scrolls but all at the same time. He left the one he was working on to take the next one and added some details and then he took back another to colour them.

Lady Amyntoros sat next to him and saw fascinated how her son was covering the different and many scrolls with very detailed and complicated drawings depicting various devices. In a moment, she stood behind him and looked over his shoulder, the quality of the drawings was really good and his ideas were quite innovative and modern. The little boy was showing a real skill at drawing and designing those devices.

The young Hephaestion worked on his scrolls for many hours until he finally dropped asleep onto one of his latest scrolls. Lady Amyntoros gently took the pencil the boy still had in his little hand and took the scroll from beneath his cheek and she marveled at the artistic drawing of her garden. It looked like the one they had started to design that very same day but she could also see in it all the flowers and fruit trees in bloom as if spring had already been there to let the boy see how the garden would be in the next months.

Lady Amyntoros took that scroll and hugged it against her chest, feeling pride and happiness for her little one that had been able to capture the magic and innocence of nature among the horrors and sins of war. She promised herself that she would be there to encourage her little son not to lose his connection to the artistic side, especially the one that would hold his heart in times of war and sadness. She also promised herself to show the drawings to her husband as soon as the General was back home. She knew that her General would put that talent into a good use and if his son became a cartographer or an engineer, he would be far away from the battlefields and, in that way, he would not encounter any danger that could cut his life too soon. That did not mean that she was not worried about her husbands and his elder sons, but Hephaestion had always been a bit more special than the rest and whenever someone asked her why that was like that, she only tended to say "Because he is Hephaestion" as if his only name were an answer on its own.

Drawings and sketches would be a constant in Hephaestion's life, not only in his childhood but also in this youth and adult years.

The brunette, once a boy and now turned a Macedonian General, designed not only was devices but also bridges and constructions for the new cities his king founded in their way to the East. However, he would never forget the first garden he designed with his mother a warm autumn day. He would always considered it a treasure, even though he had never found that special scroll until years later, when his mother had died and he found it inside a special chest his mother had where she kept her most precious things and, from that moment on, it became one of this most treasured possession.

* * *

To the guest reviewer on chapter 3: thank you so much for the lovely comment, it really warmed my heart!


	6. Day 5

_**Day Five: One day at the royal Palace.**_

Little Hephaestion was nearly six years old and he had grown into a very good boy, always in a good mood and ready to help. He had a heart of gold and he was really committed to the people he loved and cared about.

Amyntas was at home, spending some time with his family, he had suffered a bad injury that obliged him to take some rest, because if he did not take those days or even months off, according to the royal doctor, he could end as a cripple, a feature that was not acceptable for a Macedonian General.

There was no need to say that the tough warrior was not doing well with all that rest. He behaved like a bear with a sore head and his mood was getting darker and darker with every passing day. His wife did not know what else to do to calm him down so she had decided, after some unusual shouting contests between them, that she would leave him to rant alone. It seemed as if only Hephaestion was able to be near his father without being "bitten" by the rude remarks or answers from the injured man. The little boy had the patience of an old man and the capacity to remain in silence for long periods of time. Amyntas had also discovered that he was a good listener too so, at the beginning, he had spent many hours ranting about his current miserable situation, but lately, he had started to retell Hephaestion their family history since the very first ancestors who had set their feet in Greek lands. The boy had started the design of their family tree, beginning with that ancestor his father had told him about and that according to the first Amyntoros, was Patroclus itself. The boy could not feel more ecstasy, his most favourite hero was his ancestor as well.

Many days were spent like that, in deep conversation; one sharing the information he had been retold years ago by his own father; the other writing down slowly all that information in his neat and clear handwriting. Hephaestion even dared to illustrate many of the scrolls, especially if there had been an event that had called his attention more than the others had.

The family tree became a thick book about their family, lots of scrolls, carefully written in Hephaestion's childish writing, with colourful drawings, all of them bound with a long and strong leather cord. Hephaestion said that the book would be passed from fathers to sons so they would be able to add more information and so any Amyntoros would say, in the future, that they did not know about their own history. Amyntas agreed with his idea and suggested that after they finished adding all what they wanted, he would give it to Lysander, the eldest of his sons so he could add about his own family and then it would be passed to the other two sons.

* * *

One afternoon, when father and son were deeply immersed in their work, a royal page arrived at the farmhouse. After having some water, on lady Amyntoros's insistence, the young man asked to speak to the General. He was quickly taken where the General and his son were.

Amyntas had started to put his full weight on the healing leg some days before but he was still walking slowly in comparison to his usual steady and strong march. However, he waited until the page was sent his way. As soon as the young man saw the General, he did not wait long to give him the news he was bringing. He told Amyntas that king Philip was looking forward to seeing him if he was up to the trip on horse to the palace. He also added that the king had some serious matters to discuss with him but that he was willing to wait if he was not feeling recovered yet.

Hephaestion looked at the page in wonder, the youth was wearing the king's colours, he was also the bearer of important information, a high honour in Hephaestion's eyes, and he immediately thought that the king would trust him a lot for that mission. He did not remember when his own brothers had that honour of being pages because he had not being born in one case or he had been just a baby in others to remember.

After resting, the page was gone and Hephaestion remained silent for a while. Amyntas could see that his son was in deep thoughts and he wondered what he was thinking about. The brave warrior could easily see so many good aptitudes in him and he could not help seeing him as a good soldier in the near future. In that moment, he decided that he was going to take Hephaestion with him on his trip to the palace; it was time the young boy met his king and maybe he could also meet the young prince that happened to be nearly of his same age, just some months younger.

That night Hephaestion was sent to sleep earlier than usual and his father told him that he wanted him dressed up with warm clothes at dawn. Hephaestion looked at him curiously and asked why he was asked to do that. That was another thing the General liked about his son; he was curious but respectful and he was always waiting for a straight answer. The man told him that he had an appointment with the king and he wanted him to ride with him towards the palace so they could meet each other.

A very nervous boy went to bed that night and many hours had gone by before sleep came to him. Eos was painting the sky with her rosy fingers when a very excited boy opened his cyan eyes; he got up and ran towards the basin in one corner of his room. After pouring some water into it, he washed his face with that cold water from the jar to brush the sleep from his still blurry eyes. He then proceeded to comb his brunette tresses that were now caressing his thin shoulders, he brushed his teeth and he was finally dressed up with his best chiton and his leather boots. He completed his attire with a short midnight blue cloak that his mother had gifted him for his last birthday.

As soon as he finished dressing, he went to the kitchen to find that his mother was already up and preparing a hearty breakfast for her men. She also added some extra food in a leather bag for the trip, in case the boy got hungry during the ride. It was not a long one but it would probably take them two hours to get there and he was not so sure if the boy would be able to eat all his breakfast due to his inner nerves.

They finished their morning meal and the little one had had some problems in swallowing his food. Both parents exchanged a knowing look between them but they decided not to acknowledge the problem in front of their son's presence. After that, they went to the stables to fetch "Shadow", Amyntas's warhorse. The Amyntoros were famous horse breeders and tamers and Shadow was one of the best horses in the Macedonian cavalry.

Father and son mounted the strong and gorgeous beast and canted quickly towards the royal palace. In the way there, Hephaestion who was facing his father and resting onto the broad and comfortable chest, asked his father when he would have his own horse. The General chuckled and told him that Shadow had served three fine mares and they were all expecting so one of the foals would be for him. The boy was so happy about the good news that he continued chatting all the way to the palace and he wondered if his new horse and Sotiris would get along with each other.

The she wolf had not been happy at all when she was left at the farmhouse but little Hephaestion had explained her that she had an important mission to fulfill for him and that was to be in charge of his mother's safety and nobody on the farm doubted that the animal had clearly understood her little master's instructions.

The royal guards let the newcomers enter after saluting the great warrior. Little Hephaestion was proud of his father and he felt so much respect for him. He always asked the gods to help him be, just a quarter of a good man his father was. Time would prove that he would be greater than his own wish.

* * *

They entered the Throne room and were immediately greeted by a young man. Hephaestion was amazed at his bulky body and jet-black hair. He was accustomed to see strong men, his father and brothers were a walking proof of that strength, but he had never met anybody that big being so young. The young warrior formally saluted the General and after that, Amyntas enveloped him in a bear hug.

Hephaestion's father introduced the young man as Cleitus the Black and the soldier looked at the thin boy next to the strong father an smiled.

"Are you going to be a soldier too?" he asked with a deep voice.

"Yes as my father and brothers. But I am also an inventor" Hephaestion timidly answered.

"And what do you invent that it is not invented yet?" the man asked, teasing the child.

"Many things but mainly war devices. I have an assault tower, some portable structures to build things on the battlefield during a siege and then I have a lot of plans to design and build new cities" the boy answered more and more excited because that big man was truly paying attention to his words.

"You dream big, little boy" Cleitus replied smiling because, even though the boy was quite young, he could see his strong will in those oceanic eyes.

"Nothing is impossible if you are constant and faithful to your ideas" the boy said, trying to defend his ideas.

"You are quite a philosopher, too. You are certainly a good match for our princeling who is always dreaming about his future conquests and his heroic ancestors" Cleitus said with a tinge of jealousy in his words.

"Is the prince here?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"I think so, however he must be practicing with his tutor Leonidas" Cleitus said seriously.

"Can I meet him?" the brunette boy asked eagerly.

"I am sure that king Philip can arrange for you to see him. Now I should go, they are waiting for me to practice some wrestling" Cleitus explained and left the two Amyntoros behind.

General Amyntoros was quickly taken to the king's presence and the little boy was impressed by his features, the king had fair hair and clear eyes, not a very common feature among Greeks.

"Joy to you, my king" Amyntas greeted happily.

"Joy to you, too, my dear friend. First of all, how are you doing? Is your leg still giving you trouble?" the king asked worried about his General and friend's health.

"I am doing better, the leg is almost healed and I think the limp will disappear in the next month or so. But I am just tired to be resting for so long; luckily this young man had helped me to tolerate my recovery" the warrior said while raffling his son's hair.

"I was going to ask who that boy beside you was but he is your spiting image, my friend" king Philip said laughing while approaching the boy with cerulean eyes, a shade clearer than his father's.

"I am Hephaestion Amyntoros, my king" the boy answered solemnly.

"My pleasure to meet you, son. Will you join my Army as your father and brothers did?" the king asked curious about his answer; he could see that this young boy had fire inside him.

"Maybe but I am sure that I will join your son's Army" Hephaestion said, shocking both grown men with his statement.

"And why do you think my little boy will have his own Army?" Philip asked, more curious than before.

"I know it for real because the very same Ares told me that in a dream" Hephaestion replied seriously but feeling a bit uneasy.

"Ares himself talked to you in your sleep? Are you a seer, Hephaestion?" king Philip asked, approaching the little boy and measuring him with his clear eyes.

"No, my king but sometimes, the gods talk to me in my sleep and he told me that he would have the biggest army the world had seen and that he would conquer many far away lands" Hephaestion added.

"I believe you, son, don't be worried or afraid of me. Let's sit and I will tell you a story" king Philip said and took Hephaestion's little hand in his bigger and calloused one and they both sat on the throne, Hephaestion on the king's lap.

"What is that story about, my king?" the little brunette asked, totally mesmerized by the unique situation he was living.

"When Alexander was born, there was a priest in the room and when he saw his two coloured eyes …" the king was interrupted by a tiny voice.

"Excuse me but I don't understand, do the prince's eyes have different colours?" he asked, doubting the truth.

"Yes, he has one grey eye and the other is green, so when the priest consulted the oracle about that, it answered that Alexander would reign over two kingdoms, that is why I believe you about conquering many lands" king Philip explained and remained silent because he could see that the boy was assimilating all the information given.

"That is why Ares said that … now I can understand better" Hephaestion said without realizing that the king was looking at him marveled at his quick understanding and acceptance.

"I have one further question to ask you, Hephaestion" the king said seriously, making the boy turn on his lap and looked at him.

"Of course, my king" the boy submissively answered.

"Will you follow my son up to the end of the earth?" he asked and held his breath because he knew that he was living an important moment in the future of his kingdom.

"Yes but with one condition, he must be loyal and faithful to his ideals and above all, he must take care of the peoples under his command" Hephaestion answered looking directly into the king's clear eyes.

"You will have your hands full with this little one, my General" king Philip made that joke because he was in serious need to lighten the thick atmosphere.

"I am sure I will; he had an old head onto his very young shoulders" Amyntas said, sensing the gravity of the whole moment.

"So Hephaestion, let me ask you something, my son and some of the heirs of the noblest Macedonian families will go to Mieza to take lessons with Master Aristotle. Would you like to join them? I think you would really benefit from his lessons and it will also give you the opportunity to know your future king and companions. You could also grow together, not only in knowledge but also in social skills and I do think that you could become a very good diplomat in the future because you have already showed me loyalty to a person you have not known yet. And, according to your father, who I believe in blindly, your ideas are quite unique and modern, two characteristics that are highly appreciated among us" king Philip said, hoping the boy accepted his invitation because he really thought he could become a very good, if not the best, asset for his Army and his son's army.

"I will join your son and his friends only if I can bring a friend of mine with me" Hephaestion requested and his final decision would depend on what the king answered.

"You are full of conditions, son. That is good because you perfectly know what you want and how to achieve it. Well, tell me, who is this friend of yours?" king Philip asked, realizing that he had been manipulated by a boy of only six years and it seemed that he was already wrapped around the boy's little finger.

"Her name is Sotiris and …" but the boy was suddenly interrupted by the king.

"No way, we do not allow women to study in Mieza, they will just be a distraction and I really do not need that and …" but the king was the one interrupted this time.

"My king, Sotiris is not a girl, she is a she wolf" Hephaestion explained with his voice tinged with pride.

"And why would you need her here with you?" he asked curiously.

"Why not? Some children have a dog as a pet, I have a wolf" he replied as if he were explaining why the sky is blue and not of another colour.

"Will you be able to control her? it is not her natural environment" the king said, a bit worried at such strange occurrence.

"I will and I need her here mainly because she saved my life when I was two and I fell into a lake and I also know that I can train her to go into battle with me, when the correct time arrives" he seriously explained his reason.

"Good point son, so I will be waiting for you and Sotiris next spring" king Philip answered and then asked Amyntas if he was ready to discuss those important matters that had originally asked for a meeting between them.

Little Hephaestion was dismissed and after such an emotional encounter with his king, the little boy fell asleep and he dreamt of his future in the Macedonian army.

* * *

mashou no tenshi ; thanks for your review; Alexander will appear too 


	7. Day 6

_**Day Six: A day at School.**_

The day had finally arrived; Hephaestion was about to leave his family house to go to Mieza. There he would take classes under Master Aristotle and his classmates would be not only the sons of the Macedonian elite but also the prince himself.

Hephaestion was really excited, he had been taught to read and write by his mother; in fact, his mother had helped him with the most difficult letters because he had taught himself. It was such a surprise for both his parents when one day he started to read aloud, still fighting with the long words, the adventures of almighty Achilles at Troy. He could barely understand the whole meaning of it but he could comprehend the idea in itself. Homer was not the best author to start practising his reading due to the richness of his vocabulary and his detailed descriptions, however his repetitive phrases had helped Hephaestion to see the pattern of his writing. To add to that, the little brunette had fallen hard for the Iliad and the young blond hero, who wanted his name to be remembered forever.

His mother and father were marveled at their little son whispering those famous words and their hearts jumped with joy. What they did not know was that sweet Aphrodite had enhanced Hephaestion's natural skills to make things easier for him so he could enjoy the reading of heroes and gods; a way to speak to him easily when the gods did not want to interrupt his sleep because he needed it.

Lady Amyntoros did not want to cry; she knew she had to be strong for Hephaestion but it was her baby who was going to grow up far away from her. Her other children had left the family house too but they were older, they were around 12 or 13 and they did not have that privilege to study with any Macedonian heir so they went directly to learn the pages' duties before they were admitted in the army.

She had packed two big chests with warm clothes she had sewed herself. She had also knitted a thick woolen cloak for the cold days and a night blue blanket to use on the bed. Mieza was located up in the north so the weather was always colder than it was in their farmhouse and, even though Hephaestion was used to spending long periods of time outside, he did not like cold at all; in fact, it was one of the few disadvantages the boy had. However, his mother was sure that he would find the correct way to fight against it and conquered it successfully and definitely.

Lady Amyntoros came back from her daydreaming as the time of saying their goodbyes had finally arrived. His brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews had already said their goodbyes to him the day before after a big dinner that they all had shared at the family house.

Each of his brothers had given him a nice departure gift and he had carefully packed them inside a leather bag; they were a fine chiton for a probable banquet at the lyceum, a pair of sandals to wear in his free time and a pair of strong boots, useful to march and practise marching exercises. Their wives had also given him some presents such as a new quill, some scrolls and inks for his drawings and sketches. The children had added a sling and some round stones to use with it and his only niece had added a small rag doll to remember her if he was feeling alone.

Amyntas and his wife had asked a very well known blacksmith to forge a dagger for Hephaestion; the hilt had an engraving of Patroclus wearing Achilles's armour fighting against Hector on one side and his mother had asked a weapon maker to make a bow following the design that the very same Hephaestion had sketched. The man had made very tiny adjustments but he had assured her that the weapon had one of the best designs he had ever seen. As a gift to the inventor, the man had added two sets of ten arrows each with the initials of the name of the boy engraved on them.

Lady Amyntoros had secretly seen her son trying to make a bow with some branches and a string but even though he had done a good work, it had been a total failure because the bow had resisted throwing only one arrow before falling apart. The bow and arrows were accompanied by a quiver made of the finest leather with a long strap to set on his left shoulder; it also had another image of the Iliad engraved in it, this time was Achilles and Patroclus embraced before Achilles going into battle.

In the following years, Hephaestion would become a master at archery and, even though he would be one of the commanders of the Companions Cavalry, he would, for time to time, lead a section of archers, always standing at the front of them as his king did the same in front of the whole Macedonian Army. Many of the companions laughed at him due to his liking of that weapon, telling him that his archers were worthless, however, his men, firing their bows whilst mounted, offered highly mobile missile fire on the battlefield. At the Battle of Hydaspes, the massed fire of the horse archers was effective at disordering the Indian cavalry and helped to neutralise the Indian chariots. Hephaestion would no longer be questioned about their worth after that.

Fat tears fell from emerald eyes and rolled down pale cheeks; lady Amyntoros kissed her son on both his cheeks and finally set a deep and long kiss on his forehead, whispering a protection pray against it. Hephaestion hugged his mother's waist tight and resting his head onto her bosom, he promised her to write to her as often as it was possible for him and, without looking back, he mounted on Auburn, an old and loyal mare that would be doing her last long trips. Auburn was one of Amyntas's warhorse Shadow sisters and the General himself had tamed her.

Hephaestion gave a long and loud whistle and Sotiris appeared by his side and started the journey next to her two male humans; she turned round to look at her master's mother and howled loudly as if she was saying her goodbyes too. She quickly ran towards Hephaestion, there was no doubt that she would be joining her master in his new adventure.

The travel was long but enjoyable; father and son exchanged old stories about battles on the General's part and future dreams on Hephaestion's. As soon as they arrived at Mieza, Hephaestion felt his heart jump inside his chest; he was going to study with one of the most remarkable teachers of all the times and he was sure that he would learnt about many and different things. He was worried about only one thing; the companions had been together for two years or so and he would be the newcomer, a fact that he did not like because he felt he would be in disadvantage.

He dismounted his horse and patted her head, thanking the old mare for the comfortable and safe journey. He walked next to her towards the school entrance, Sotiris was on his left side, as any future war companion would do, and looking at everything with her yellowish eyes. She could smell danger from a long distance but her slow and relaxed walk was a sign that everything in her surroundings was in order and out of any peril.

An old man was standing at the door, his hair was short and white while his chiton was long and black; he had a white cloak wrapped around his right shoulder and his clear eyes had a piercing and deep look in them but they also had a warmth that invited the little boy to approach him.

"Joy to you, little boy" the teacher greeted little Hephaestion.

"Joy to you, master Aristotle" the boy said with emotion in his still low voice.

"And who is your friend there, next to you? She is quite a gorgeous animal" the old man said, admiring the she wolf.

"She is Sotiris. How did you know she was a she-wolf?" Hephaestion asked surprised because he had always had to explain that.

"In fact, it is quite simple, even though she is slighter bigger than common she wolves, female wolves had a clearer fur and then the shape of their heads is …" Aristotle began with his explanation.

A long explanation followed that first sentences and young Hephaestion was given his first lesson just at the school door and he immediately knew that he would enjoy a lot being there. Sotiris was also mesmerized by the old man's soothing voice and so she lay next to Hephaestion's feet, with her head resting between her front paws and she let her eyes close and took a short nap; her master was in good hands with the old human.

A tall blonde youth appeared and he walked directly towards the new boy and he suddenly stopped when he saw Sotiris on her four legs and a tiny display of her pointed teeth.

"Joy to you, I am Ptolemy and what is that?" the youth asked.

"Joy to you, I am Hephaestion, son of Amyntas and she is my she wolf Sotiris" Hephaestion answered, putting emphasis on the she pronoun; he would not let anyone treat his friend as a common animal.

"Sorry, she is a beautiful animal" Ptolemy apologized because he had seen the little boy's determination in his clear eyes.

"Yes, she is, she is also quick and intelligent" Hephaestion added with pride.

"Are you going to join us? You look quite young" Ptolemy said cautiously.

"Yes, I will. I am eight years old" Hephaestion answered firmly, he might be thin or young but he would not let anyone think him as weak.

"You are the same age as prince Alexander, and speaking about the devil, here he comes" Ptolemy said laughing.

A blonde boy, a bit shorter than Hephaestion, running as fast as Zeus' messenger, passed them quickly, chasing a really fat and brownish rooster.

"Joy to you Master, Ptolemy and joy to you too, stranger" Alexander shouted on his way after the cock.

Alexander laughed loudly and heartily on his way back to where they were still standing but he stopped suddenly when he saw Hephaestion opening one of his saddle bags and taking a dry biscuit out of it. The brunette crumbled it in his small hands and put the crumbs into a little pile on the cock's path … and the bird stopped to eat the dry crumbs happily.

Aristotle, Ptolemy and Alexander looked at the smirk in Hephaestion's face and the three of them started to laugh again.

"How didn't I think about doing that? It would have saved me all the running" Alexander asked when his laugh was over.

"Because I grew up in a farmhouse while you grew up in a palace; it is just common sense, my prince" Hephaestion said plainly and he saw Alexander blushed deeply because he had been subtlety called stupid.

"I will always be near you, in case I need your vast knowledge" Alexander said a bit sarcastically in order to save his honour.

"You will need doing that if you want to reach your puberty" Hephaestion answered back and turning round, he whistled long and loudly so Sotiris knew that they were on the march again.

The three other people remained in silence, all of them due to different causes: Ptolemy could not believe that someone had been able to shut the prince up with so much confidence. Aristotle was silent because he was thinking that the prince might have found his real match and the old man even dared to bet that he might have also met his soul mate. Alexander was in silence, thinking that the boy, who had the most beautiful and intriguing eyes he had ever seen, would be an excellent friend to have near and he also had a "I-don't-know-what" feeling that made his heart flutter and quicken his beat inside his chest.

The prince really wanted to ask Hephaestion to be his friend but he was afraid that the brunette would reject him as he had treated him so indifferently and answered him back so sarcastically.

He knew that he would do up to the impossible to gain his respect and friendship; he also realized that he would need that boy next to him forever and he would work hard to achieve this new dream that had just appeared under the shape of a tall brunette with cyan eyes. He knew that it would be arduous but he also knew that the result would be worthy of all his effort. If he succeeded, he would have gain a friend for life, a clever mind to hold him, a partner to share his dreams and worries, and if he was very lucky, he would have found a soul mate to share his life with, just like the blonde hero Achilles found his peace and love in the brunette and handsome Patroclus.


	8. Day 7

_**Day Seven: A strange disease.**_

One year had gone by at Mieza and Hephaestion was now nine years old. He had grown more than five centimetres in height but he still retained his slender body. His hair had a fairer hue in the long tresses than were now passing his shoulders and his skin had a slightly golden tan that gave him a healthier complexion that his former pale one. His eyes were still the most outstanding feature in the childish face and they had acquired a deeper look. He was frequently praised due to his handsomeness but the boy did not pay attention to it. Ptolemy always laughed when someone said something about Hephaestion's singular beauty because the boy got furious. The little boy always answered in the same way, pouting and speaking in a whisper, repeating that he was not a girl and that if he went on receiving such compliments, he would mar his face so no one would say a thing about him being beautiful again.

The first time he said that Alexander, who was nearby, ran to his friend and pleaded him not to do that. The expression in his two coloured eyes was showing so much panic that Hephaestion ended comforting him and promising that he would never do anything to his face at all. Alexander released a long and low sigh and he hid his face in the crook of Hephaestion's neck, a thing he had been doing for the last months, especially because he was shorter than the brunette and he could always enjoy of that scent that only Hephaestion's skin had, a mixture of summer and sandalwood.

Young Hephaestion had learnt so many things in that last year that he sometimes marveled at the vast and varied knowledge that his master had and he really enjoyed the way in which his idea of the world had widen in an astronomic way. His eyes opened widely with every story Aristotle said and that only served to make his idea of travelling more desired. He wanted to live those things, not only heard and knew about them and it seemed as if he had found the perfect partner to share those dreams. Prince Alexander had become his best friend after such a rocky beginning and it was normal to see both friends, walking arms around the other's shoulders and speaking with their heads, one brunette and one blonde, together. These two friends were always followed by two faithful four-legged friends, the she wolf Sotiris and the dog Peritas, a black karaman as big as his wolf friend.

Hephaestion was one of the best students, always ready to answer and his questions revealed a vey high mental speed. This virtue brought him many problems, especially with those companions who were not so quick or were always ready to laugh at him. Luckily, Hephaestion had never felt the need to change the way he was and his stubbornness helped him to face those offensive remarks. He could always count with Alexander's friendship and understanding and, even though they had some discussions between them and the prince could be as stubborn as Hephaestion was, that had never put on danger their friendship.

At first, Hephaestion had been a bit behind as regards his physical development. He had always been taller than other boys of his same age had but his body had always been thinner, slender without a single gram of fat or muscle. Cleitus had always laughed at his appearance, telling him that his body looked like a twig, always at the point of breaking and the boy, who had always wanted to impress the huge warrior, answered that his body was more like a bamboo cane that could bend but never be broken easily. After such witty remark, the black warrior had spent some time with the young brunette training him and teaching him ways to build up some muscles in that body. The training had had very good results, the boy looked no longer as thin as a twig but he did not have bulky muscles yet but Cleitus had confidence that when he finally grew up, he would have his father and brother's magnificent tall and strong physique.

In the meantime, poor Hephaestion had a lot of blisters to take care of in his sore feet, which had never been used to walking or marching for such long hours. He sometimes felt as if his muscles were burning inside the skin of his legs and arms after those long exercises under the hot sun and one afternoon he nearly passed out of exhaustion and everyone could see that his breathing was quite laboured.

Cleitus, who had been visiting the complex at Mieza, picked up the boy in his strong arms and took him back to his chamber where his overheated body was freshened up with clothes damped in cold water. Aristotle himself looked after the young boy, preparing his own concoctions and giving them every three hours. Alexander was by his side as long as it was possible for him but he slept every night in a makeshift bed by his sick friend's side while Sotiris and Peritas waited for the boy's recovery outside the room.

It took Hephaestion three days and their nights to recover fully and, after that, a constant wheezing could be listened in the boy's breathing and that made everyone worry about his health. King Philip was informed about it and he sent his personal doctor to check the boy and decide what course of action should be done to help him get his health back.

The doctor checked the boy thoroughly and when he finished, his face did not have the best expression all the presents were expecting. He cleared his voice and said that his lungs were in a very delicate condition and that there had to be something wrong with the thin layer that covered them, because it sounded as if it were fraying. He suggested moving the boy back to his hometown that was much warmer that the chilly Mieza before the winter came. The decision was communicated to the king and he called Amyntas to let him know that he had to take his son back home to preserve his health. He also added something that the doctor had not told the rest of the people; Hephaestion's lungs condition was really delicate and he might not survive the winter, that was why they had suggested to take him back home so he could see his family again before the worst came.

* * *

The night before Amyntas's arrival, Alexander sneaked into Hephaestion's chamber. The brunette had been moved to a single chamber when he had fallen ill but the prince really missed having his friend by his side. He approached the bed and whispered lowly:

"Phai, are you awake?"

"Yes, Alexander. What do you need?" the blue-eyed boy asked in a whisper.

"I wanted to spend the night with you before you go tomorrow" the prince said, letting his friend know how much he was already missed.

"Alright, jump in" the boy said shifting over one side of the bed.

"I will miss you Phai, so much" Alexander said, hiding his face on the crook of Hephaestion's neck, as he had done tons of times before.

"I will miss you too but I have to go, Xander. I am too ill and I would only be a charge for everyone here" Hephaestion said, a bout of cough followed his statement.

"Never for me, please stay with me, I will look after you myself" Alexander begged and hid further into his friend's neck and started to sob quietly.

"Don't do this, Xander, you will make me feel guilty for leaving you alone and then …." But his sentence was interrupted in mid-air and his wheezing was higher and higher until silence reigned in the room.

Alexander looked at him and saw how his Hephaestion's lips and his skin started to loose their natural complexion and turned into a strange hue of bluish, mixed with a deep red. He started to shout at the top of his voice, calling for help while he cradled the stiff body between his long but not so strong arms to control the seizure that was attacking the brunette's body.

Aristotle entered the room running and after him, the royal doctor who immediately realized what had happened. He was almost sure that one of the boy's lungs had started to fail in its function and would quickly collapse if it did not receive enough air to inflate it again. He took the ill boy from the tight grasp the prince had on him and laying him flat on the floor, proceeded to give him mouth-to-mouth respiration until the boy coughed loudly and a huge intake of air entered his lungs, restarting their normal function.

Alexander looked at his friend who was trying to breathe normally but that it was still quite a feat for him, and threw himself onto the bed and hugged the slender frame between his arms and begged for his forgiveness.

The doctor asked why he would ask for that because he had not been the cause of the seizure but Alexander told them that he had made Hephaestion feel guilty and sad when he strongly begged him to stay by his side. The doctor in that moment realized that the condition was also connected to the boy's emotional state and he prayed the gods to keep him alive until the morning when his father was coming to take him back home.

Hephaestion saw the distress in his friend's heart and face so he patted the cot and motioned him to lay with him. Alexander did not doubt a second to do what his friend was asking him so he set on his side with his arm onto the raising and falling chest as if he could control like that his friend's breathing while Hephaestion racked the blonde's short tresses with his long thin fingers.

After some minutes, both boys fell asleep in each other's arms and remained embraced until the morning came, no matter that both their teacher and the doctor had already expressed their concern about them being so close to each other.

* * *

Amyntas arrived in the wee hours of the morning; he had been ridding his horse fast and without a rest to get there sooner. He practically threw himself off the horse in movement and ran into the complex where his son was waiting for him. He found Sotiris and Peritas outside the room and the she wolf whined when she saw him as if she wanted to prepare him for what he was about to see.

As soon as he entered, he saw Master Aristotle and the royal doctor whispering to each other and on the bed two boys with their small bodies so entwined that he could not distinguish where one began and the other ended. He walked towards them and he suddenly realized that his son was seriously ill. He had already been notified of the seriousness of Hephaestion's sickness and everything that master Aristotle and the royal doctor had already done to soothe the pain; however, everything had been useless and it seemed as if he was getting worse every passing day. The doctor told him about the previous day's seizure.

Alexander, who was wrapped around Hephaestion's body as a starfish, listened to the murmured words and dared to peek, knowing that, as soon as he opened his eyes, his friend would be gone. He sat on the cot quietly, greeted the General and finally got off the bed, leaving Amyntas talking to the men. When they left, the General took a good look at his son, tucked in the big bed, and he saw him so weak and small that his heart shrunk with fear; he had never thought that seeing his own flesh and blood suffer would be so painful.

The boy's complexion was so pale that it looked as if his body were carved in white marble; dark rings around his eyes made them look as if they were two holes in the ashen face; his lips were so void of colour that they could be confused with the surrounding skin.

He leant over to kiss the feverish forehead and, at that moment, Hephaestion opened his cyan eyes that had already lost their usual sparkle.

"Hello son" Amyntas said, his voice laced with worry.

"Hello father, I am sorry" the boy said in a whisper, his throat was parched.

"What are you apologizing for, Hephaestion?" he asked because he could not think about anything his son could have done wrong.

"You have to leave mother to come to fetch me" the boy said between fits of cough.

"But you are ill, son; of course I will always come for you" he explained, ruffling his son's hair gently.

"How is mother?" he asked, each word causing him more trouble than the former one.

"She is worried but she is waiting for you, she had prepared your room and she had taken all her concoctions and healing books out and she has been reading them looking for a way to cure you" he said in a clear tone of voice.

"I am so sorry" the boy said again, thinking that he had been adding more work to his already over loaded mother.

"Don't say that; you did nothing to catch this illness. Can you tell me if there is something that hurts?" the General asked, trying to assess the situation and the way to take his son back home.

"Everything hurts, papa, even my hair, but the worst are my eyes and my chest, it is awfully painful" he replied, grimacing with pain.

Amyntas leaned over again, this time covering his son's face completely, he looked at his son's eyes that were completely reddish, like injected with blood, and tiny blisters covered his eyelids. Hephaestion sighed deeply because the darkness soothed his pain a little but moving made him gasp in pain when he tried to breathe deeper than before.

Amyntas looked at Hephaestion's chest and saw it covered in purple rings of different sizes, they looked ulcerated so it should be quite painful.

In that moment, the royal doctor came in again, carrying this time several bowls and little flasks. Even though he had tried to minimize the situation, he realized that the General had already understood the severity of the illness. The military man had seen his fair quote of ill men ad he could easily distinguish one simple from a very complicated one.

"I brought some things for the trip, even though it is not a long one, it will be hard on him. We will make a bed to transport him to the cart. I will put this cream on those blisters now and then bandage his chest to prevent more injuries or an infection during the journey. There are also some cream and potions to put onto his eyes; I think it would be better if we covered them with a dark soft linen so in that way, he will have the medication and darkness, as well" the doctor said while moving around his young patient.

Amyntas agreed to everything the doctor said and he was about to tell Hephaestion what they would be doing to him so he knew what was going on, when he listened to a soft knock on the door. Granting entrance, Amyntas saw a blonde boy enter again; he was still a bit shorter than his son but not as thin as the brunette was at the moment.

"Ah, Alexander, my prince, please do come in but do not get too close. My apologies if I was not in the correct mind when I saw you earlier" the tall man said, apologizing to the small boy.

"There is nothing to apologize for, General. The doctor had not allowed me to be very near but I have come every night to read to him; it seems to calm him; that is why you found me here this morning, I must have fallen asleep by his side" Alexander explained, blushing.

"I am sure that Hephaestion is really thankful for that, Alexander" Amyntas said, seeing how distressed the young boy was.

"He will recover soon, won't he? Your home is in a much warmer climate, it will be good for his lungs" the little boy said, trying hard to stop the tears that were about to fall.

"Of course, Alexander, it will only take a long time, probably, but he will be back sooner than you think" the old man said, trying to console the friend.

"It will never be soon enough for me, I already miss him and he is still here" Alexander said, trying to express his feelings very clearly.

"He will be back and he will play and study with you again" Amyntas said, reassuring the nervous boy.

"And you will bring him back to me as soon as he is strong enough, won't you, General?" the boy asked but he was already masking a demand.

"You have my word, my prince" the General saw how important his son was for the prince.

"Please, I need him by my side, he is my best friend, he is my everything …" the boy confessed, blushing deeply.

"Aren't you a bit young to know that?" Amyntas asked curiously.

"I may be young but I know what my heart feels, General" the boy replied plainly.

"Xander, is that you?" a weak Hephaestion asked.

"I am here, my Phai. How are you feeling today?" Alexander asked gently while he approached the bed.

"I am fine, Xander, don't worry" he said, trying to mask the pain in his chest.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Phai" the shorter blonde told his friend off.

"Alright, everything hurts so much and I don't know how much longer I would resist this pain" the boy said in a whisper.

"What can I do to help you, Phai?" the prince asked and he would have traded places with his brunette if he had been able to do it.

"Nothing … just don't hate me" Hephaestion pleaded in a tiny voice.

"I could never do that and why would I hate you?" Alexander asked surprised by his friend's plea.

"For being weak, I don't deserve to be a Macedonian soldier if I cannot tolerate this pain" the boy said and coughed his lungs out.

"Don't say that, you are really brave" Alexander replied, encouraging him.

"Brave men do not cry" the boy said, letting fat tears roll down his feverish and sunken cheeks.

Amyntas had retreated to the back of the room from where he had been listening to the boys' conversation. Those two sounded so mature with their only nine years, and he could feel the underneath deep feeling that bonded those two and he prayed for his son's recovery but he was sure that the prince would never fully recover if something happened to his Phai.

"That is not true, my father says that men cry in the rain. Can I ask you something, Phai?" the golden prince asked.

"Anything, my prince" Hephaestion answered, trying to make him sound stronger than he felt.

"Promise me that you will get better and come back to me, I am nothing without you" the nine-year-old boy confessed to his crush.

"I promise" the boy lying on the bed said and he closed his eyes, the analgesic finally having effect in his weak body.

Alexander got closer and set a hand onto his friend's chest, trying to avoid any of the blistered marks, because he needed to feel his heartbeat. Leaning over, he kissed his cheek and whispered against his neck "Come back to me" and he left the room running, shedding copious tears.

When the cart was finally prepared, Amyntas cradled Hephaestion carefully between his strong arms and took the sleeping boy to the makeshift bed. Alexander, who had returned after composing himself from his breakdown, walked by the General's side having one of the brunette's hands in his slightly smaller ones. He squeezed the hand gently and ran off for the second time.

All the companions came to see him off, wishing him a speed recovery. The only companion absent was the prince who could not tolerate seeing his Phai going away from him.

As if he could sense his friend's absence, Hephaestion uncovered his eyes just a little and instantly looked towards the apple tree; he could distinguish a hunched figure next to it and he realized why his friend was hiding from him. Hephaestion did not hide his tears at all, even though he felt a deep sting while shedding them. Seeing that noble gesture, Alexander let a wish leave his clenched lips and the brunette could clearly listen to his prince's **"Come back to me"** and he just nodded, falling asleep almost immediately.


	9. Day 8

_**Day Eight: A miraculous recovery.**_

The General started his journey back home slowly. The roads were not in the best conditions for his precious charge but he would do his best in avoiding the worst of them so Hephaestion did not have to suffer more than he really was. The old warrior went all the way talking to himself and in a moment, he started to pray to the Olympians and he asked them fervently to let him arrive to their house with his son still alive. He also told the gods that he was sure that his wife would be able to find a cure for this strange illness that was changing his son into a shadow of the lively son he had left a year later at Mieza. However, he also added a soft plea to them, if it was Hephaestion's fate to leave them while being so young, they would understand and accept the gods' decision too, even if it was not the one they would have wanted.

Lady Amyntoros had been wandering around the house for the last hours; no one dared to tell her to have a seat or to stop walking back and forward to the front door. Lena was also worried, she knew that if something happened to his Hephaestion, lady Amyntoros would not survive the pain. She was, once more, standing at the farmhouse door when they arrived. She ran towards the cart and immediately climbed on it with the agility of a young woman. Nothing had prepared her for what she saw; Hephaestion had taken a turn for the worse during the journey back home and he looked much sicker than what she had assumed. She remained frozen for some minutes until Amyntas set everything to carry the boy inside their farmhouse. The couple did not share a single word, it was not necessary, they had both realized that the situation was really serious and that their dear son was in danger.

When they settled him onto his bed, they wept bitterly because they did not think he would survive the night. All the signs of his illness had got worse since they had left Mieza and according to the royal doctor, the chances of surviving were not many. Lady Amyntoros sat by her son's side and started to examine every inch of her dear boy's body, trying to discover any distinguishable sign that could give her an idea of why she was fighting against. She looked for scratches, bites and even weals that might be hidden. She saw nothing but she promised herself to look again more carefully as soon as she stopped crying her eyes out, her tears had made the job quite difficult.

She was caressing his feverish forehead and letting her fingers run along the boy's fringe when Hephaestion opened his cyan eyes as thin as two slits and tried to smile to his mother to let he r know he was doing fine but it only came out as a painful grimace that made his features more painful to stare at.

"Mama" he whispered, trying to convey in that simply word all his love for her.

"I am here, my love, you are finally awake" she said smiling, trying to hide from him her worried face.

"Sorry mama, I did not want to cause any more problems …" his last words were drowned in a severe fit of cough and when it finished, a sharp scream let his mouth.

Lady Amyntoros shouted her husband's name who quickly entered the room running. The vision he saw broke his heart, Hephaestion was lying on the bed, all his muscles stiffen and he was gasping for air labouredly, opening his mouth repeatedly in an attempt to get some oxygen inside his nearly collapsed lungs.

Amyntas took him in his arms quickly but in a gentle way due to his constant pain, getting him into a nearly sitting position to help his breathing. He had practised that maneuver many times with his own soldiers when they were without air due to a wound with an arrow to their chest or when thrown to the floor by a crazy horse that nearly knocked them out. Suddenly Hephaestion took a big intake of air and restarted his laboured breathing, followed by smaller intakes of air.

The entire ordeal left the small boy exhausted and he fell asleep in his father's strong arms. The old man did not dare to put him back onto the bed so he cradled him for a long time, rocking himself forwards and backwards, the same way he used to do when Hephaestion was just a baby. Lady Amyntoros looked at them and left the room, crying inconsolably; she could not bear seeing them so broken, one because of his illness; the other because he felt impotent and useless.

The same episode happened two more times in the following hours, each of them taking Hephaestion more time to recover and get back to breathe by himself. They could clearly see how the body was losing the battle to the illness and how the last traces of the boy's strength were fading away rapidly. During the last episode, the stiffness was so severe that they could not help him to take the recovery position that helped him t least to get over the fit. Minutes went by and none of the parents listened to any deep intake of air entering the boy's body indicating that he was about to fill his lungs with that needy air and breathe again by himself. In a closer look, they saw with horror how his lips started to get a bluish colour due to the lack of oxygen in his body and his skin started to take that cyanotic hue and it felt rough as if it had dried instantly.

They realized that they were losing him and, what was worse t was that they were unable to do something in order to help him, when suddenly a brilliant lightning traveled along the clear day sky and it was followed seconds after by the loud roar of a thunder. The sky was clear and there was no sign of a storm brewing in the horizon that was very strange. A gust of hot air pushed one of the chamber windows open and blew strongly over the weak and almost stiff corpse on the bed, as if little Hephaestion were the only inhabitant in the room.

Lady Amyntoros and her husband could not clearly see what was happening inside the room because their vision turned blurred immediately but they could nearly distinguish a presence leaning over their son. They were worried but they could not move either. Amyntas was fighting against the wind that kept him away from his son when suddenly, as soon as everything had begun, it was over. They were ready to face the disastrous state that they knew the room would be but to their surprise, everything was safe and nothing was out of place.

They ran towards the bed and they could see that their son's body had lost its stiffness and suddenly they gladly saw Hephaestion opening his eyes. The boy let his eyes wander around the room as if he were looking for something but his search was interrupted when he felt the need to take a huge intake of air, after that he doubled his thin body in halves, and then he fell on his back onto the mattress still, once more.

The child's face suddenly showed a happy expression while a tiny smile graced his now pinkish lips and the rosy colour went back to his cheeks. The bluish colour of his skin let place to the ashen colour until it also disappeared. His lips parted and his mouth opened, letting a long and loud sigh go. His body relaxed and he fell into a deep sleep.

Lady Amyntoros approached her head; her face still showing fear in her emerald eyes. She looked at the still body and she dared to set her soft hand onto the former feverish forehead to find it fresh and no longer clammy.

The purple rings that had been peppering the thin chest started to get lighter until they disappeared in front of her eyes and a new glow could be seen enveloping the small body, a glow that kept the thin frame warm and at the same time fresh and comfortable.

Lady Amyntoros sent a heartfelt pray to the gods, promising them to offer a big sacrifice as soon as Hephaestion was fully recovered. She thought that she would offer them something very significant, something she had and liked a lot or something that it was expensive or impossible to buy it again. If she was going to thank the Olympians for their miracle, she would offer them something that was worthy and equivalent to the gift they had just given them.

Amyntas, who had fallen onto a chair next to the bed, let a stray tear of happiness roll down his stubble cheeks and thanked the Olympians for giving them their son back. He was ready to even sacrifice himself to thank the gods for their son's recovery.

Mother and father watched over the boy's sleep, seeing how miraculously his chest raised and lowered with each breath that was now painless and deep. They were sitting side by side, their hands entwined and staring at Hephaestion who was still peacefully sleeping.

One hour later, Hephaestion opened his eyes again and prompting onto his elbows, he asked for some water, which he drank without any further problem. He was still feeling a bit tired so his parents encouraged him to go back to sleep once more in order to get his strength back. They told him that the rest would help his body to heal quicker and the boy just did what he was told.

The evening came bringing the dark sky only lit by the twinkling stars and Hephaestion was still sleeping peacefully. Both parents were getting ready a light dinner for the three of them; Amyntas was helping his wife so they could go back quicker to the chamber. However, in a moment, his parents turned when they saw how his room was suddenly illuminated with a golden light, stronger than any light they had seen before and it was coming from beneath the door. They ran towards the room but they found the door locked, even though they were sure that they had left it opened or slightly ajar. Amyntas threw his heavy body against the door but he could not open it, either. They were desperate to enter and see what was happening to Hephaestion.

Hephaestion's mother was wringing her hands nervously when she listened, inside her head, a sweet female voice telling her that her son would be all right because the Amyntoros family had always been faithful to the gods. She calmed down and realized that all that light had to do with the Olympians so after telling that to her husband, they let the room in peace.

Hephaestion could also see the light; he could also feel the warmth invading his whole body and travelled along it as if it were a river of fire. As that fire touched his innards, he began feeling better and better and a feeling of peace and happiness filled his heart and nestled there. A male voice, loud and clear, could be heard in the room and the boy realized that he had listened to that voice before, once in a dream, and that voice belonged to the same almighty Zeus, who was talking to him.

"Dear Hephaestion, you are one of our dearest creations and we do not want to see you suffer anymore. Today, even though everybody in the house has forgotten, is your tenth birthday so we wanted to give you a very precious gift, which you already had since the very day you were born because I granted it to you on that special day. We are going to activate it so it can help you to get better" the shinny man in white told him.

"Almighty Zeus, why are you doing this? I am just a common boy from a southern farmhouse" Hephaestion said speaking with his voice really clear.

"You are not just a boy and you will never be a common man, Hephaestion; you are a very important person and you will even be more important as soon as you reach your adulthood, becoming a remarkable man. You, my dear boy, will outstand from the rest, you will be a man who will be hated but also and much more loved by many" the thunderous voice of the father of the gods said convincingly.

"May I ask what that gift is?" the brunette boy asked with respect.

"The gift is within you and from this moment on, you will be able to use it without needing the intervention of the Olympians. You will be able to pass this gift, a new and stronger life force, to the only person who would hold your heart; in a word, you will be able to share it with your soul mate only" Zeus explained that to the boy and he immediately put him to sleep as his recovery time was not over yet.

"Thank you, almighty Zeus. I will do anything to give you back such a wonderful present" the boy said nearly asleep.

"Just be an honest man and we will all be happy. One more thing and it is really important that you remember and follow our instructions. When the time of your demise comes, do not let anyone burn your body, ask them to set you onto a bed and leave you alone in an empty room. The room must be left unoccupied and not even your soul mate could be present. We will tell you more about this as soon as you can understand it better" he added and, throwing one last look over the sleeping boy, he left the room and then the house but before, he ordered Morpheus to guard the brunette's sleep.

Hephaestion's parents entered the room as soon as they heard the door unbolt and they found their son deeply asleep and totally cured. Mother and father cried happy tears and thanked their gods for granting the deepest wish of their hearts. Hephaestion smiled in his sleep as if they could hear them and they truly knew that he was going to be all right.

The boy woke up two hours later, asking for his mother. As soon as she entered the room, he asked for some food and a glass of milk, telling her that he was starving. Lady Amyntoros went back to the kitchen and, with the cook's help, they prepared a hearty dinner. Mother, father and son shared their meal and Hephaestion told them what the father of the gods had told him in his dream. At first, they did not believe him, thinking that it might be a side effect of the recovery, but when the little boy added so many details, the idea was logical and well thought. They suggested Hephaestion, that as soon as he was fully recovered, he should write all what Zeus had told him and kept it safe, only revealing the content of that scroll when the right time came and to his true soul mate. They also decided that they would write a second copy and that one would be sent to the royal palace and ask the king to keep it safe with the kingdom's papers. Amyntas had decided that after revealing his wife the true nature of Hephaestion's relationship with the prince and how their young love was totally requited. The lady was totally shocked with the news but she understood the prince's crush on Hephaestion, her unique treasure in the world.

* * *

Thanks to the guest review in the previous chapter and to Mashou No Tenshi, knowing that you are reading makes me happy! :)


	10. Day 9

_**Day Nine: Entering the family business.**_

A month after Hephaestion had so miraculously recovered his health, the boy started a series of exercises to build up his strength again as he had lost too much weight and all those muscles he had gained before his strange illness. He had spent half of that month in bed s his lungs were doing better but they were not fully recovered; he still had some bouts of cough that left him with a laboured breathing for some minutes after his fit. He then started to get up for longer periods of time and enjoy the family life in the kitchen where the atmosphere was always warmer, not only because of the hearth lit but also by the constant presence of his doting mother and father who had made up to the impossible to secure him a swift recovery.

He started throwing a rag ball against one of the walls of the stables and tried to catch it when it slightly bounced back. The first times were a total failure and the young Hephaestion, who was ten years old now, felt totally frustrated because he wanted to get his old body back so badly, especially because he wanted to go back to do all those things he had always enjoy doing. He sighed because he had recently realized that his recovery would be a long one, filled with many failures until the success started to appear.

The second reason was that his parents had also promised that, as soon as he was strong again, they would ask King Philip if he could join the rest of the young companions in Mieza again so he could go on his studies with Aristotle. His parents had realized that the teacher was a strong and good influence on their son's character and that he had learnt so much in just one year that it would be a pity if they took that from him. Due to Hephaestion's inquisitive nature, it was quite difficult to keep him quiet and satisfied now that he had tasted the vast knowledge the old master had to share.

And that reason was the best incentive to offer Hephaestion and that was why he exercised everyday, long hours each day to build up his strength again. The young boy tried to spend everyday doing something, exercising the different muscles in his body as the Black Cleitus had taught him those months ago. He had fond memories of those moments spent together and he could see that everyday he was doing a slow but steady progress.

Lady Amyntoros also helped him in his recovery; she was well known as a green finger person, a person who had the ability to make things grow just by doing little. She had an enormous garden, who little Hephaestion had helped to design and, in the back part of it, the woman had spent many hours planting different kinds of herbs and all of them had a different healing power. Differently to the rest of the women of her time, lady Amyntoros was not only a very independent person but she was also very well educated, one of the many characteristics that had captivated the rude and brave Amyntas. She could read and write, not only Greek but also a kind of ancient dialect that was said to be connected to the cult of gods and heroes. It was also related to the healing powers of Asclepious who had always help the ill people through prays and the use of an alternative medicine, especially the one coming from the herbs and the infusions made with them. Only a few were able to understand this dialect and it was mostly because the god himself had revealed its secrets to them.

Lady Amyntoros, being a devoted follower of the god of healing, spent many days, revising her notes about the different herbs and after studying for quite a long time, she found the correct herbs to make infusions and some creams to massage the weaken limbs and muscles. In addition, she was luckily obtaining good results because Hephaestion was spending longer periods of time in the open air, when it was warm, and he had not been so agitated as he had been the first days after his recovery.

Four months had gone by since Hephaestion's near-death experience and it was now Amyntas's time to help his son. He was about to propose something and he already knew that it had always been his son's wish; the old General was going to grant it to his son because he wanted and because he was still a bit afraid of losing him as he almost did four months ago. He had talked with his wife about this so she had prepared some strong infusions that the boy had been drinking for the last ten days unaware of the situation; they were especially prepared to act on his muscles and to fortify his lungs and respiratory system.

That night, while they were having dinner, Amyntas broke the news to the quiet boy, who had been a bit sad lately as his recovery was still slow and summer was coming faster than he really wanted. He had has the crazy idea that he would be already back at Mieza but it dawned on him that his return to the studying place was still far away. His cheerful and optimistic mood had turned a bit quieter sand he had often found himself wondering if he would be able to recover fully and to be the boy he once sued to be. He knew that Father Zeus had let him know some things about a bright future but he was suffering now and there was nothing that could help him to get out of the depression he was heading to. His father, luckily, would prove him wrong.

"Would you mind getting up a bit earlier tomorrow?" the man asked seriously but looking at his son.

"If you want" the boy replied, his voice void of any enthusiasm.

"But if you are going to be like that all that, moping around, you'd better stay inside" the father said, trying to pick the boy's interest but he was failing royally.

"Alright, I will stay inside" Hephaestion answered, playing with the food on his table, moving it from one side to the other.

"Well, so if you are going to stay inside, I am going to ask Lysander to help me or maybe Kostas is already ready to be taught; I know he had been asking me for that for months" Amyntas said, talking with his wife who immediately realized what he was doing.

"What are you going to teach Kostas?" Hephaestion asked, lifting his head from the plate and sounding a bit more curious than before and his mother smiled because it seemed that the trick had done it but she was careful to hide her smile behind her hand.

"Shadow's foals are ready to be tamed and I was thinking that Kostas ….." but the warrior was suddenly interrupted by the boy's loud voice and when he looked at his son, Hephaestion's eyes were deep blue like the Aegean Sea in a stormy day and he swore he could see the storm brewing in his eyes.

"NO, you promised you would teach me first, even thought he is older than me, you are MY father, you have to teach me. Lysander can teach Kostas if he wants and apart from that I am …. " and he stopped ranting when he listened to his parents laughing loudly and with big smiled gracing their faces.

"This is the first time since your recovery that I have seen so much colour in your face, son, or heard the quickest and longest string of words" Amyntas said, laughing even louder when he looked at the blue eyed boy and discovered that his cheeks were blushed but his eyes were much more calmer.

"So do I wake you up earlier or not?" Lady Amyntoros asked directly to her son with a sweet smile.

"Of course. Papa, if I do a good job with it, can I keep it?" Hephaestion asked with a lot of emotion in his voice and he sent a quick pray to the gods for an affirmative answer from his father.

"Of course, son, but only if you can ride him without getting agitated" Amyntas said seriously. He really wanted to give his son a horse but he would never compromise his health.

"I promise that I will go on with my exercises and infusions to get healthier and I would do anything you two tell me" Hephaestion promised from the bottom of his heart and it seemed as if a ray of hope had entered there and brought some warmth to it.

"Alright, so tomorrow at dawn we will meet at the stable, after having breakfast" Amyntas said and considered the conversation ended because he did not want to put too much pressure on Hephaestion.

The boy ate all his food without leaving anything on the plate, even those nasty small green sprouts his mother was so fan of and that he really hated; he did not want to give his parents any reason to stop the taming lessons. When he finished eating, he realized that he had been famished but that his anger had not let him see that.

He went to bed when his mother told him, without a single protest and even though he was allowed a little reading while being in bed, he blew out the candle as soon as his father told him. He knew he needed a good rest in order to be ready for the following day exercises.

Dawn came soon and the weather was not as chilly as the previous days; it seemed as if the weather was helping Hephaestion in achieving his most desired wish. The boy got up fast, washed his hands and face and he finally tied his shoulder length brunette tresses after combing them not so carefully. He then headed to the chest where his clothes were kept and, after looking inside for a while, he found what he though it was suitable for the day activities.

Both men shared a hearty breakfast, the morning meal contained thick slices of bread with a thick layer of honey, goat cheese cur in small dices, a big bowl of warm milk with some herbs in it and two caramel figs to keep the sugar level up. When the meal was over, Amyntas looked at his son and nodded at his clothing, Hephaestion was wearing an old chiton with long sleeves and a kind of trousers so he would keep his body warm until the sun was up in the sky. He would be able to wear something lighter then if it got too hot later.

There were three foals in the stables but one of them had shown the easiest temper to be tamed until that moment; the other two would have to wait a month or a bit less more to loose their stubbornness. Amyntas made Hephaestion approach the mare and the foal next to her. It was another beautiful mare, her coat was of a dark brown, almost black and she had a white mark in the middle of her forehead, it seemed as if it were a kind of lightning bolt. Hephaestion immediately liked her and Amyntas realized that the feeling was mutual. The foal left her mother's side, approached the tall boy, and pushed her muzzle against the boy's hand, giving him little touches until the boy lifted his hand and caressed the white mark on her forehead, following the lightning bolt design. A name came immediately to his mind but he remained in silence because he did not know yet if he had the right to name the horse by himself. The little horse neighed lowly as if it were a kind of greeting and seeing that instant connection, Amyntas made Hephaestion walk towards the stable entrance and the mare followed him immediately, as if she were a big dog.

The warrior reminded Hephaestion about the basic cares of water and food timetables while he showed him how a saddle was strapped correctly to prevent the rider falling or the horse being hurt. As all Macedonians, they did not wear stirrups so the secret was in the strength the rider had in his thighs and knees to command the horse to do what he or she wanted. The riding whip was only used during the taming to teach the most basic and primeval movements but then it was totally discarded as any Amyntoros believed in punishing an animal when it did something wrong, in fact they did believe that the only guilty was the rider himself for giving a wrong or confusing command.

Amyntas lassoed a loose thin rope around the mare's tender neck and took her to the middle of the big paddock, only use for the taming exercises but the young foal refused to walk further. Amyntas looked at it with surprise, it had never happened to him that before, no horse had ever refused to follow his commands but he soon realized what the foal was doing; she had already recognized Hephaestion as her owner so she wanted him to take her to the centre of the pen to start the exercises. This loyal mare deserved a loyal rider and Amyntas knew that he could not have found a better pair in those two. He beckoned Hephaestion to get closer and handed him the rope and the horse walked gently where the boy was taking her.

Hephaestion looked at his father and he told him to make the mare make rounds around him with the rope a bit loose so she did not feel trapped. The boy was a natural tamer as his father had already predicted the very same he was born without knowing why that unusual idea had come to his mind. The mare was a natural too, following Hephaestion's gentle instructions meekly. The foal had quickly achieved the first and more natural gait that was the walk. After the fourth round, Amyntas saw that the movement was well and controlled so he told Hephaestion to shorten the rope and made her walk faster, to learn how to trot. At the increase of the speed, the mare stopped at first but then she realized that Hephaestion had not moved from his place or let go of the rope, so she follow his future rider's command. The second gait was quickly achieved so Amyntas taught Hephaestion to reward the horse when they had done a good job. The man grabbed a red apple from a leather bag and cut it in quarters with his dagger. He told Hephaestion that he had to praise her firmly but kindly and then offered the sweet treat. The whole reward was over when the rider patted the horse's head or flank. She had to learn that those treats were not gratuitous, she had to win them and she would only obtain them if she did a good job, lousy jobs were not rewarded at all but she would get a verbal punishment for them or the rider could withhold those gentle caresses new foals enjoyed so much.

The first day was over when Amyntas taught the boy how to take care of the mare, cleaning her sweaty coat after the long day of exercise, brushing her fur so it was free of any insect or little thistles that might bother her later. Amyntas also taught him to look at her hoofs to prevent any damage to them, as they were quite painful for the horses, and finally to prepare a soft bed with fresh hay and a bucket with fresh water so she could rest comfortably. Hephaestion had to spend some time with her doing nothing in particular, just being there and talking to her so she could incorporate his tone of voice or his whistles, which were also useful, especially in battle where the noise was sometimes deafening. It was their bonding time and it was really necessary, for both of them.

In the following days, the mare and Hephaestion spent almost every minute together and she finally learnt the last two gaits, the canter and the gallop and she, once more, showed that she was a quick learner and that his tamer was a good teacher and learner as well.

A month later, nearly six months after Hephaestion's arrival to the farmhouse, boy and mare went out for the first time in a long ride alone around the farmhouse and the nearby lands. Amyntas followed them at a short distance but they did not have any problem. Both returned home in the early afternoon and after cleaning and attending to his mare's needs, Hephaestion allowed himself to have something to eat and take a along a well deserved nap. When he was out of their parents' sigh, they let a loud and long sigh out because they had realized that the time of his son's recovery was almost over. They were happy for him but hey also felt a bit sad because that would only imply one thing; Hephaestion would return to his friend and to his future soul mate.

He could not be happier, his strength was almost recovered, his breathing was not longer laboured and he had not felt winded at all. He knew that he would be able to tame the mare and she had quickly become his second favourite animal; the first one would always be Sotiris but Dione had become important too in such a short time because she had also saved him from a peril, the peril of feeling pity for himself.

Hephaestion knew that his recovery was almost over and that he was ready to come back; he had a golden prince to spoil …..

_A/N: Dione means "The goddess", a Greek myth name of the mother of Aphrodite, it is also a feminine form of Zeus, the god with powerful lightning bolts._


	11. Day 10

_**Day Ten: Friendship or something more?**_

Amyntas rode in secret to the royal palace to ask king Philip about the possibility of Hephaestion's return to Mieza. He went out early one morning under the pretext to visit an old companion who had had a nasty injury and was not doing well. Hephaestion did not object the reason at all, he was so naïve and gullible that he did not have a doubt about his father's word. Amyntas did not feel at all comfortable with the lie but if the king rejected his petition, he knew that Hephaestion would not take it happily, as most of his recovery was based on the promise to come back to Mieza and join the companions there again.

General Amyntoros should not have had any doubt about his petition; the king was so happy to know that the boy was really cured and ready to join his son that he immediately issued the order to prepare his chamber back and ordered a new set of books and all the study material he had missed in the last year. King and General shared a late breakfast and when it was over; the warrior rode back to his house being the bearer of such good news for his son.

He entered the house and called his son's name but no one replied to his call. He decided to look around the house but it was deserted. A feeling of uneasiness filled his heart and he ran out of the house but calmness went back to his body when he discovered his wife, hiding behind one of his tallest rosebushes, looking at their son who was riding Dione. He approached and gently hugged her from behind, making her squeal loudly. Dione pricked up her pointy ears and moved towards the place where the sound had come and that was how Hephaestion discovered his parents spying on him. The boy was startled at the confusing situation but then he laughed loudly and Dione, feeling her rider's happiness, started to gallop fast as a lightning bolt in a stormy sky.

Lady Amyntoros was about to shout Hephaestion to get back and be careful but she was soothed by her husband who told her that their son was a natural rider and tamer and, in spite of his vanity, he confessed that he was even a better rider than he was at the same age. Some time after, they saw boy and mare galloping back as fast as they had done it before but they stopped suddenly in front of them and with a short high-pitched whistle, Dione knelt one of her front legs and let the boy dismount easily. The brave warrior was amazed at that, he had had to work hard to teach Shadow that trick and his son had achieved it in hours. He felt so proud that he thought his heart would explode with so much pride in it. He congratulated the boy on that and Hephaestion told him that it had been quite easy to teach that to Dione because she was a good girl. The mare neighed loudly and stomped her front legs repeatedly on the dry soil as if she were clapping herself for making her rider happy. Amyntas laughed loudly and Hephaestion took a red sweet apple from a hidden bag and offered it to Dione who happily ate it. The General asked Hephaestion to see him as soon as he had finished attending his mare. The boy, who was now 11 years old, nodded and then took the horse back to the stables. There he dried her, filled her bucket with fresh water and gave her a pile of fresh hay. He went back to the house, wondering what his father had to tell him.

Before entering the house, he filled a bucket with fresh water and washed his hands and face. Then he took off the chiton he was wearing and shoved it inside the bucket, he then wringed it and passed it over his chest to clean the beads of sweat and specks of dust on it after his long and fast gallop on Dione. He also racked his fingers through his brunette tresses that were reaching the middle of his shoulder blades and were fairer than one year before.

He left the dirty chiton on a tree trunk nearby and entered the house by the back door, the one that was nearer his own chamber. He took a clean chiton, passed it through his head, and then he tied his hair in a tidy tail at his nape. He went to the kitchen where his parents were already sat at the table. Amyntas looked at him and he marveled at his own son, he was not only intelligent and quick but also handsome, he had acquired a nice body during the last year and his teen years were already showing in his frame. He had lately acquired well-defined muscles not only in his legs and arms but also in his chest and stomach where an incipient six-pack was nearly developed. He had also grown five or six centimetres and so his body seemed slender but strong.

"What did you want to tell me, father?" Hephaestion asked as soon as he sat at the table.

"I saw the king today and asked him permission for your return to Mieza" he said and put a very big morsel of roasted boar meat in his mouth and started to chew it slowly, savouring the juicy piece of meat.

Hephaestion waited for a while but as his father went on chewing that bite so slowly, he decided to ask again:

"And what did he say?"

"Yes" he said while putting a second bite in his mouth.

"Yes what? Can I go back?" Hephaestion asked, feeling a bit angry at his father's passiveness. The answer was really important to him.

"You can go back as soon as you feel fully recovered" he said, smirking.

"Alright, so stop eating and take me there" the boy demanded while standing up.

"Not now, I am eating this delicious roasted boar that your mother had prepared for me" he said while eating a bit more and slower than usual.

"Fine, when you finish your meat we will go" Hephaestion said a bit irritated.

"No, after the dessert, she had prepared oatmeal biscuits and caramel figs" the brave warrior said, licking his lips in advance.

"You can eat them while we ride, it would not be the first time we eat on our horses" Hephaestion replied, trying to get his father to move quicker.

"Alright, go and prepare your bags while I finish eating" Amyntas said, smiling broadly.

"Aren't you going to eat, son? I also cooked this for you, it is your favourite" lady Amyntoros said gently.

Hephaestion did not really feel like eating when he was feeling so anxious but the brunette, that was so in tune with his mother, could also, not only listen to her invitation but also to a kind of sadness in her voice knowing that his departure was so close that he decided to stay and eat the three together before his leaving, thinking that one hour or two would not make the difference this time.

They enjoyed the hearty meal and the dessert with a big cup of sweetened milk and finally the time had come. Hephaestion ran to his chamber and came back, only minutes later, with two leather bags already packed, they had been prepared for months in his hurry to go back to his friends.

This time, the young boy did not mount an old but faithful mare, he mounted his own mare, the one he had tamed all by himself under the direction of his father, but as the previous time, the loyal Sotiris was already standing by his side, ready to go back. Hephaestion looked at the she wolf and asked:

"Do you want to see Peritas? I am sure that you have missed him a lot, as much as I have missed Alexander" Hephaestion said, his last words almost in a whisper and his father could see how a slight blush covered his son's tanned cheeks.

Kisses, hugs and good wishes mixed with prays were exchanged between mother and son and then the two men departed and headed towards Mieza.

* * *

Aristotle had been already informed about Hephaestion's return but he was asked not to reveal the information to Alexander and his companions until they knew he was returning to stay definitely. The old master could not hide his joy, one of the best students of all was coming back and he might bring back the spark in the prince's two coloured eyes that had extinguished from his eyes the very same moment that a sick Hephaestion had left the school and disappeared on the horizon. No matter how many letters they had exchanges in that year, their inability to see each other had had a great impact in the prince's spirit. The old teacher had seen how happiness had been escaping from the prince's body such as the sand did through the fingers and he could not tolerate that any longer.

The canter of both strong horses made their travel quicker than their previous one and it was also more symbolic because father and son were riding onto a father and a daughter respectively. The arrival in the late evening was announced by the loud and grave barking of Peritas who had also grown up a lot, reaching its full height and strength. Sotiris sniffed the large black dog from a long distance and when she realized it was her old friend, she howled loudly, greeting him in return. They got reunited before their masters and were much more enthusiastic about their reunion.

Alexander came running to the front gate to see what that entire racket was about because Peritas was not a dog that barked without any logical reason. The prince froze in his spot when he saw his friend back. His return had been so desired but it had been completely unexpected. The blonde boy could not move because his friend's handsomeness had hit him on his chest as if it were a strike with one of his wooden practice sword. Hephaestion was taller and bulkier than the year before, his eyes were bluer if that were possible; his hair was fairer and longer and his posture showed more confidence than before, and that made him feel a bit uneasy. However, the prince was very happy to have him back but he had also realized in that precise moment that he would never be brave enough to tell this boy how he felt about him, how he considered him not only his best friend but also something more.

He remained in his place, without moving a single muscle, while he saw Hephaestion gracefully dismounting a beautiful dark-coated horse and taking two huge saddle bags with him and setting them over his shoulder as if they were too light when their appearance showed exactly the opposite. As soon as Hephaestion started to walk towards him, the prince realized that the boy had grown a lot and was much taller than him; luckily Alexander continued being stockier than the brunette even though the blonde could appreciate the hard muscles the brunette had acquired in the last year.

"Joy to you, my prince" Hephaestion greeted the blonde boy.

"Joy to you, my friend" Alexander greeted back without moving at all when all he wanted to do was to embrace his friend's body and never let him go.

He was about to speak to him when he was pushed aside by two other blondes, taller than he was and much more confident. Ptolemy and Perdicas hugged their friend and told him how much he had been missed and how happy they were of having him back and while they chattered like parrots, they took him away from the prince, who could only see them going with a painful expression in his two coloured eyes. The prince lowered his head for a second and so he lost the glimpse Hephaestion threw at him over his right shoulder as if he wanted to apologize for leaving him alone so soon after they had juts met.

When they were far away, the prince lifted his head and decided to sit on the higher step of the stairs at the entrance of the school. The blonde boy put his head between his hands and released a deep and loud sigh, speaking under his breath and even though no one would have been able to listen to what he was saying, everyone could have distinguish the painful tone of those words.

"You should have told him, my prince" master Aristotle said, startling the boy who was deep in his thoughts and regretting his shyness.

"Said what? To whom, Master?" he asked innocently, already knowing what his teacher was talking about.

"You should have told him how much you missed him, how sad you felt when he was not by your side. You should have said that to Hephaestion as soon as he greeted you, because who else has an almost complete reign over your heart, my boy?" the teacher said and sat with difficulty next to his second favourite student. He patted the boy's knee gently and that encouraging gesture allowed the boy to speak up his mind.

"I am sure he does not feel the same as I do so I did not want to embarrass myself by saying it and having to tolerate him laughing at me due to my idiocy" the prince confessed sadly.

"I don't think Hephaestion would be that inconsiderate with your feelings, he might not feel the same for you but I am sure he would never make fun of your feelings. However, he might feel the same for you but you will never know if you don't ask him" Aristotle explained him, trying to see the problem from a more logical point of view.

"Do you think that he would listen to me and he would not laugh?" Alexander asked, a little flame of hope dancing in his grey and green eyes.

"I am sure, he has a pure heart and he had never showed a bad attitude towards anything or anyone but if you are not still convinced, you can wait until he gets settled and he has unpacked his belongings so then you will have an excuse to go and talk to his in his own room" Aristotle said logically.

"In his room? Alone, the two of us?" Alexander asked with a frantic tone in his voice, swallowing deeply.

"Yes, his room, the two of you alone so you can have enough time to speak quietly and in peace and not surrounded by nosy companions. Would that be a problem for you, my prince?" Aristotle asked, suspecting the true reason.

"Maybe …. I might like him more than just a simple friend …" he whispered and his cheeks immediately reddened.

"And that is a problem why?" he asked seriously, he had thought that those two had understood the concept of true love better than the other companions.

"Because he might not feel the same and then he could feel disgusted in my presence and I would not be able to tolerate his indifference" he explained, stammering and confusing his own ideas more than it was logical.

Patting the boy's knee, Aristotle looked at him directly into his eyes and said:

"I am not going to repeat myself but remember that even though fortune is a capricious lady, she will favour whoever takes a risk, especially if it includes true love" and saying that, he left, walking slowly towards his own room.

With that smart piece of advice in his mind, Alexander made his own way towards his room where he thought about all the things that he wanted to tell Hephaestion. He also looked inside his mind and heart for the best words to tell him, to express what his heart had been feeling for such a long time, to tell him that he thought of him as much more than a simple friend but that, if he did not feel the same for him, he would appreciate too much just having his friendship.

* * *

Two hours later, the prince gathered the courage to leave his own room and go to Hephaestion's chamber that was at the end of the corridor. He gently knocked on the door and a soft "Come in" was heard through the thick wooden door.

Alexander pushed the door and let himself in, Hephaestion was putting some clothes into the chest he had left behind when he went back home and turned round to see Alexander. A big smile graced the brunette's face and Alexander felt his heart melt.

"Please come in. I was about to go to you when I finished here" Hephaestion said.

"Oh! Do you need something? Is something missing? I thought I had kept the room as you had left it but I might have made a mistake" Alexander hurriedly explained with a painful look in his two coloured eyes.

"No, everything is perfect and I really wondered who had kept all my things in such perfect conditions. I should have known it was you and you have not made any mistake, Xander" Hephaestion replied and called the prince by his nickname, testing the situation between them because he had thought that the prince was not so happy to see him back.

"I have really missed you calling me Xander" Alexander confessed.

"You have missed only the nickname?" the brunette boldly asked.

"No, I missed you dearly, there was not a single day that I did not think about you" Alexander replied thinking in Aristotle's former advice.

"That is so nice to know because I have missed you dearly too" Hephaestion replied and taking his prince's hands in his, he pulled the shorter body towards him and enveloped him into a tight hug that lasted forever as if both young boys were trying to show with that simple gesture all what they felt for each other.

"It is nice to have you back" Alexander whispered against the skin of Hephaestion's neck.

"It is nice to be home again" Hephaestion replied into the blonde's hair.

They might not have said everything they felt in their hearts but at least, they knew how precious they were to the other.

They would have another time to speak, now it was the time to enjoy that simple hug that could turn their friendship into something else, something deeper, something more similar to true love.


	12. Day 11

_**Day Eleven: Jealousy and Love.**_

The following days after Hephaestion's return were a bit confusing; the brunette had to get used to doing some things the rest of the companions had been doing for the last year and he had no idea about it. Some of the companions were truly happy to see him recovered and back but it was not the general and unanimous feeling, there was specially another blued-eyed boy who was not happy at all.

Cassander thought he had got rid of the annoying Hephaestion but it seemed as if the brunette had more lives than a cat. Not only was he back, healthy and fully recovered, he was even more handsome and looking like a young Patroclus in his entire splendor. He had seen the looks between the prince and the brunette and he had unfortunately realized that their close relationship had not suffered at all, in spite of having been separated for such a long period of time. Cassander thought that the long separation would have cooled the incipient desire and lust between them; Cassander refused to see it as love, but it seemed as if not only it had survived but also grown stronger. Hephaestion looked also more confident about himself, moving around full of grace and peace. He would have to think something to break the bond between them if he wanted to be Alexander's eromenos or, at least, a friend with benefits. That was one of the many things his father had forced him to get from the prince, as a way to get more power within the closest circle of the future king. That did not bother Cassander at all, Alexander was quite good looking and he had already experienced with boys and girls, even though the latter had been his favourite. What bothered him the most was that he would never have what those two already had, that feeling of easiness in each other's presence, the exchange of looks that spoke louder than any words, the communion of their souls, pure and requited, and all that relationship had been forged without including the carnal aspect. He felt jealous of them and having his nemesis back would just make his work more difficult. He would have to think about something to chase the brunette again before they claimed each other and all his hard work, during the last year, got lost.

So he subtlety started to meddle with the moments he knew they liked to spend alone, far from the rest of the companions, and doing those things that only they enjoyed, such as reading to each other from that old scroll that the boring Homer had written about the war of Troy and the description of that "sick" relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, the heroes those two loved so deeply and they wanted to emulate.

At first, blonde and brunette had tolerated Cassander's invasion but they had lately developed the ability of avoiding him and that had made him feel angrier than before. He was always searching for them when he saw them disappear together but they were too fast for him to find out where their hideouts were. He finally decided that he was going to beat Hephaestion in another way but he would stop for a while so they would believe that he had stopped in his mission but what he really wanted was for them to become confident and careless so he would attack him in full force.

* * *

Hephaestion, after the first days feeling a bit uncomfortable, got into the rhythm again and, as usual, he stood out from the rest quickly, only followed by Alexander and Ptolemy. Aristotle was so happy to have him back because Hephaestion, beside Alexander, had always been the one to challenge him with his answer and questions.

Cleitus, who had been sent to Mieza for an inspection on behalf of King Philip, saw the young brunette as soon as he dismounted. The boy was feeding a beautiful dark chocolate-coated mare and the horse had been nipping gently at Hephaestion's nape. The carefree laugh of the boy made the black warrior feel happy but when that same boy took off his chiton to dry his sweated body, that laugh turned into a low moan. Cleitus saw with delight how well the boy had grown up in the past year, how his body was showing muscles in all the right places and how his natural beauty had been more defined. Lusty images filled the warrior's mind and his strong body felt the awakening of his nether region as if all the blood in his body was heading south. He cleared his throat and that sound made Hephaestion turned round. The naïve teen saw the man who had been his trainer two years before and, without hesitation, he began running towards him and hugged him tightly. Cleitus enveloped the strong but still slender frame between his arms and felt his manhood grow again. He ended the hug before the boy realized what was happening and outstretching his arms, he looked at him and smiled.

"You have grown a lot, brat" Cleitus said, slapping his shoulders gently.

"Yes, I did. I practised the exercises you taught me everyday during my recovery" Hephaestion answered proudly.

"I know, I can see the results clearly in front of my eyes" Cleitus said, releasing the boy.

"What are you doing here, Cleitus?" the boy asked curiously.

"News arrived at the palace that a new male beauty had come back to Mieza and I had to come and see if that was true and I can assure that they were saying the truth" Cleitus said smiling.

Hephaestion remained in silence, not knowing what to answer at first because he had not fully understood the hidden meaning behind the General's words but, as soon as they sipped into his mind, he blushed so deeply that Cleitus thought that the boy's cheeks were about to explode. He looked down to the dirt on his boots and was about to say something when heavy running footsteps could be heard.

"Cleitus, you are here!" an excited Alexander greeted his father's lover.

"Yes I am, my little prince" the man said mocking the blond in front of him.

"Hey, I am not small anymore" Alexander replied angrily, especially because his Hephaestion was there.

"Alright alright, my boy, you have also grown but here the pretty Hephaestion had won you" Cleitus said, throwing a lusty look towards the brunette, who blushed immediately under the scrutiny of those black eyes.

"Yes, my Phai is good looking but so much more intelligent than anyone here, even master Aristotle is amazed at his intelligence" Alexander said with words full of pride for his friend.

"You are so naïve, my boy, but I could appreciate more his body than his mind" Cleitus replied laughing loudly.

Alexander looked at Hephaestion, whose eyes were still down casted, and he felt a rush of anger travelling along his body. He could not understand why Cleitus was being so rude, especially because he was making feel Hephaestion uncomfortable with his lusty remarks about his appearance. Suddenly, he stepped in front of the black warrior and looking at him defiantly, he said:

"I think you should apologize to Hephaestion"

"Why should I do that, my prince?" the warrior asked, wondering what was bothering the short blonde.

"Because you have just disrespected him" Alexander said angrily but he could see Hephaestion's eyes wide open as two coins. He could also see fear in them.

"It is alright, Alexander, Cleitus did not mean to say those things, he was just making a joke" Hephaestion intervened, being afraid of his blonde friend's reaction.

"So you need a beauty boy to fight your battles for you, princeling" Cleitus said, laughing at Alexander and insulting Hephaestion again without realizing.

Alexander threw himself against the broad and strong chest and started to hit him with his fists while calling him names and demanding him for an apology to his Phai.

Cleitus grabbed Alexander's both wrists with only one of his calloused hands and he finally understood what was going on. He had listened again to that tiny word that seemed to mean the world to Alexander, that "my" showed his possessiveness but also his lack of confidence, as if Cleitus could be the one to steal Hephaestion from his side, now that he had recently recovered him.

"Stop Alexander, don't fight me" Cleitus asked, releasing the boy's wrist which he immediately started to caress to soothe the pain.

"So stop behaving so stupidly, you are a grown up man and my father's lover; Hephaestion is my friend and …" he hesitated.

"And what else?" Cleitus asked smiling because he did now see what kind of relationship the prince was hoping to have with his brunette.

"Nothing else" Alexander said, blushing deeply and running away from him.

Hephaestion looked at him with serious eyes and without uttering a single word, he ran after Alexander. He found him hidden behind a thick tree that had fallen during the last strong storm. His back was leaning against the rough bark of the trunk and his head was resting onto his bent knees while his arms hugged his short but muscled legs. Hephaestion looked at him and realized that his face was reddish; the young prince was feeling embarrassed and he would not do anything to embarrass him more than he was. He sat by his side and he patiently waited until Alexander was ready to speak; the waiting also gave him enough time to think over all what had happened and the strange reaction on Alexander's side. He had never seen that possessive side of Alexander and he could not deny he had felt flattered by it, because he did not know how long he would be able to hide his newly born love. The last months since his return had made him see how that admiration he had felt by Alexander had turned into something deeper. However, Hephaestion was also conscious that he was just one companion more; the prince and future king would need someone stronger than him to bear the weight of the empire he was going to create and, more than anything, he would need to get married to have an heir to follow him in the reign. That was why he had immediately abandoned any dreams of them being together but Alexander's recent words had let him have those dreams back but he was not going to mention the incident unless the prince did it first.

The sun was setting and the evening was turning a bit chilly; Hephaestion had nothing to cover with so a succession of tiny shivers travelled along his long frame. Alexander saw that and, without saying a word, he moved closer to the brunette and passed an arm over his shoulder and brought him nearer to his body, sharing his body heat. Alexander was like a walking furnace, his skin was always warm and he did not suffer from cold as Hephaestion did. At the contact with the heated skin, Hephaestion shivered harder so Alexander turned round and made Hephaestion rest his back onto his chest and threw a short cloak over them. Hephaestion made himself more comfortable against his friend's body, sighed lowly and let sleep take him.

An hour or so later, Alexander opened his eyes and he found that Hephaestion was still cocooned between his arms and he felt his heart swell up with the purest love he had ever felt for another person. If only his Phai could love him as he loved him …. A whispered "I do" left Hephaestion's lips and in that moment Alexander realized that he had made that question aloud and that he had finally got the answer he had been looking for in the last past months. Hephaestion, who was truly embarrassed, hid his face against Alexander's neck, a reversed role in this incipient relationship, and waited until he was ready to face his friend.

Alexander, who was always a bit more impatient, lifted Hephaestion's head by gently pushing it upwards, with his forefinger under his chin, and gasped at the beautifully image of his Phai. The boy was stunningly handsome, his eyes, two pools of heaven, were twinkling as two little stars and those lips, that looked so soft and inviting, were a total temptation.

"May I?" Alexander asked in a whisper.

Hephaestion simply nodded and so Alexander leaned over and set the purest kiss onto those so kissable lips. The prince moved his head backwards to test his friend's reaction but he found that Hephaestion had his eyes still closed but he had an expression of pure bliss in his handsome face. Thirty seconds later, he opened his cyan eyes and stared at Alexander with so much love in them that the blonde thought he could die there just of pure happiness.

Hephaestion lifted his hand, caressed the prince's thin but fully lips with his thumb, from one corner to the other, back and forward, until he leaned over, and took them in another kiss, a bit more ardent, more lingering …

Alexander let a low moan escaped from his mouth and tightened the embrace around his friend's slender frame, bringing him closer as if he wanted to fuse both bodies into only one. The kiss and the hug ended when oxygen was a vital need and both boys remained in each other's arms for a long time until the evening turned even colder and their rumbling stomachs made them go back to the chambers.

* * *

Every single person in the dining room stopped eating to look at the newcomers, who immediately washed their hands in a basin by the table and sat to share the evening meal with the rest of the companions. Cleitus looked at them seriously, Cassander threw them a dirty angry look that made both boys shiver and Aristotle was about to admonish them for their lateness but when he saw the expression of pure happiness and discovery in their young faces, he just shocked his head and went on eating; he would summon them later to speak to them. The conversation between the diners started again and some of the eldest companions threw curious but encouraging looks towards them, letting them know, in their subtle way, that they had realized what was going on. Hephaestion caught Ptolemy's naughty look and he immediately blushed while Alexander smiled back at Perdicas's knowing look. Both blondes had been lovers for the last two years and Alexander had always wondered if he would be able to find a person who loved him for who he was and not for what he was going to become in the future. He could now say that he had found the perfect partner of all, and even though they were still too young, he knew that he would be able to count with Hephaestion's presence by his side for the rest of his life.

Someone cleared his throat loudly so Aristotle lifted her head from his plate and looked around the table to see who had something to say. He was not surprised to know that the one with a problem was the ever-problematic Cassander and the old teacher already knew what, or better who, he was going to throw his venom over.

"Yes Cassander?" the teacher asked, knowing well that he could not ignore the boy.

"Aren't you going to tell anything, Master?" Cassander asked and with his question brought the attention to his person.

"What about, Cassander?" the man asked again, trying to delay the confrontation while they were still eating.

"They arrived late for dinner and you said nothing, aren't we all equal here?" the brunette asked, sending daggers towards the other brunette.

"Yes, but Alexander still keeps his royal status, even if he does not like being reminded of it" Aristotle replied while he started to cut an apple in halves.

"Alright, but what about Hephaestion? He is just the mere child of one General" Cassander said, exuding more venom with every word he spoke.

"Watch your mouth, brat, General Amyntoros is not just a mere General, he is one of the best warriors, diplomats and strategists this kingdom has" Cleitus said, defending his first commander and a man who he had always looked up to.

"I assumed as both boys arrived together, I could talk to them later if that does not offend your sensibility" the teacher said while putting a piece of the cut apple inside his mouth.

"But I thought we were all equal here, I will have to talk to my father because he told me that …" but the poisonous brunette was immediately cut in the middle of his ranting.

"You'd better be quiet and learn to fight your own battles, it is high time you stop hiding behind his chiton and act as a grown up boy" Cleitus said while standing up and towering the rest of the diners.

Cassander was sensible enough to remain in silence but poor Hephaestion felt so badly that he stopped eating, there was no way he could swallow anything at that moment. Alexander looked at him and got serious too, he did not like the way Cassander had tried to muck up Hephaestion but he would surely have words with the boy later. The dinner ended with all of the companions in silence and as soon as they were allowed, Hephaestion went to his chamber and locked the door behind him. He had never felt more embarrassed in his life than today and he did not know how he was going to face his father if he got kicked out.

* * *

Alexander did not wait for Aristotle to call him, he went directly to his master's room to tell him what had happened, from the very beginning. He told him about Cleitus's words about Hephaestion's beauty, how he got jealous about that and he had run away. He also added that Hephaestion had come looking for him and had also waited until he was ready to talk about it. The blonde teen finally confessed the two kisses they had shared and how happy they both felt knowing that their love was requited. Aristotle listened to his young student carefully, weighing every single word of the explanation. Aristotle took some minutes to evaluate the whole situation when the boy finally ended his explanation. They had not acted recklessly but impulsively, they had not harm anyone and he could not reprimand them for falling in love and trying to express it the best way they could. He only wished they did not rush things between them because if that only resulted to be a pure infatuation, they would both suffer and then the situation between them could turn to be difficult and annoying. He secretly believed that they had been born one to complete the other but he would not say anything to influence them, however he promised himself that he would do up to the impossible to help them in the exploration of their new situation.

Aristotle also thought about the intrigues on Cassander's part. He knew, by first hand, that the brunette and his father Antipater had a secret agenda as regards Alexander and they would not allow anyone to mess up with their plans of getting more power by forcing a relationship between Cassander and the crown prince.

Alexander waited patiently this time for his master's advice but the old man was taking too long. He moved nervously on the chair and was about to leave the chamber when the old teacher opened his mouth and said:

"I would not question the reasons that took you two to act as you did but there is one thing in which Cassander is right, your father has let clearly known that you were all equal here and that you all would get the same rewards and punishments. Only your royal status can exclude you of this rule but Hephaestion is not included in that exception so he would be reprimanded for tonight's act" the old man said with pity in his voice.

"But I dragged him with me" Alexander tried to excuse his friend.

"Yes but he knew the rules and, in spite of that, he did not obey them" Aristotle said, trying to teach Alexander that everyone is the forger of their own destiny.

"What will you do?" Alexander asked, knowing that his master was right.

"I will take note of his first rule violation and suspend him for a whole day, in which he would reflect on his actions and how he would mend his mistake" Aristotle said.

"Can I tell him what his punishment is?" Alexander asked, looking for an excuse to go and visit his friend.

"I am sorry but you can't, it is my duty as your teacher and your advisor. If I were you, I would not visit him today, give him so time to think, but I can give him a message if you want" the old man said, looking at the painful expression in those two coloured eyes.

"I will write something and bring it back to you" the boy said and ran towards his chamber.

Nobody except Aristotle and Hephaestion knew what they talked for more than two hours inside the brunette's room and not even the subtle threats of an angry Cassander could make the master tell him about it. When the conversation was over, Aristotle handed Hephaestion the note from Alexander's and the boy waited until he was alone to open it.

"_Dear Phai, just a quick note to let you know how sorry I am for bringing such a hard punishment on you and I would understand if you take your friendship from me … Yours, Alexander_"

Hephaestion felt his heart freeze because he had caused Alexander to doubt about his real feelings for him and he could see that his friend was in pain due to his shacking handwriting. He decided that he would risk being punished again but he needed to see Alexander in that moment. On his way there, he stopped at Aristotle's chamber and after knocking softly on the door, he let himself in. The old teacher lifted his eyes from an old scroll and looked at the boy, who quickly told him that he was going to visit Alexander and that he would accept any punishment he considered fair. Aristotle smiled and dismissed the boy with a waving movement of his wrinkled hand.

* * *

Hephaestion ran towards his friend's chamber and pushing the thick and heavy door, he entered without making so much noise. Alexander was resting onto his back on the thin cot, with one of his arms over his eyes as if he wanted to hide from the world. He must have been truly deep in his thoughts because he did not listen to Hephaestion entering until the brunette sat on the bed next to him. Alexander sat on the cot abruptly and asked with worry in his voice:

"Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I am fine; I just wanted to know how you were" he said blushing.

"I am better for having you here" Alexander said, caressing the boy's arm.

"I really like you, Alexander, please do not doubt about my feelings for you" the brunette pleaded.

"I will not but I just wanted to give you an easy way out" he confessed, a bit embarrassed.

"I don't need it, I am not someone who runs away as soon as the first problem arises" Hephaestion said firmly.

"I am sorry but I really did not know what to do" Alexander said, down casting his eyes.

"Let me stay here with you tonight" Hephaestion asked gently but in fact he wanted to reassure his friend.

"Always" and scooting over, he made space so the brunette could lie next to him.

Morpheus looked at the two boys, holding each other firmly but tenderly at the same time, and granted them a peaceful rest. He was sure they would need it to tolerate the storm to come.


	13. Day 12

_**Day Twelve: First heartbreak.**_

News always seemed to spread quickly in the Macedonian lands but when they were related to the Crown prince, they seemed to fly at eagle-speed so it was not a surprise that Queen Olympias knew about Alexander's crush on his blue-eyed friend even before the warm feeling had settled in Alexander's heart.

Antipater, Cassander's father, had let the bomb drop as an innocent comment while having dinner at the king's table. Alexander's parents had quite opposite reactions to the startling piece of news. King Philip thought that Hephaestion could be a good influence on Alexander if the prince did not let the brunette manipulate him. The young boy was intelligent, trustful and loyal, three virtues that were difficult to find in only one man, more if that person was still a young teen.

The boy also came from a traditional Macedonian family, whose men had always served and fought for the king.

The king took a big bite of the meat on his plate and went on considering things about his favourite General's son. He was almost sure that Hephaestion's friendship with Alexander would never be a stone in his son's path towards his own achievements; in fact, the blue-eyed boy would be like a safe person to go and ask for advice due to his witty mind and diplomatic skills, inherited by his own father. The king also knew that the boy would step aside when the time for choosing a wife for Alexander arrived; Hephaestion was too noble at heart to be a nuisance. He only prayed the gods to give Hephaestion the strength of mind and heart to remain as he was at this precise moment for the rest of his life.

On the other hand, queen Olympias was fuming with anger when she heard the news. That pretty boy, who, according to Cleitus and other grown up men of the Cavalry, was sex on legs, could bring her son's downfall with those deep cyan eyes and those tempting milky thighs.

Olympias had not had the opportunity to meet him before he went to the Lyceum but she promised herself that she would find the chance soon. If she wanted to know her enemy, she had to keep him close, really close. She wanted so badly to have him close to her that she was thinking about spending summer at Mieza. She would even tolerate living in that Spartan big house her king liked to call his small summer palace. She wanted to keep a close eye on that brunette that seemed to be unsettling her always obedient son with his charms, beauty and good manners.

Antipater's words had sunk deeply inside her twisted heart and it had trembled with, quite a feat for such an implacable woman like her, but no one but her would ever have influence on Alexander. She had never let Philip influence too much on him so she would never let a mere boy take her son from under her control.

She announced her desire to visit her son during the summer in Mieza in the throes of passion, after a long lovemaking. King Philip was known for not being too much coherent in the afterglow, especially if the mysterious body of his queen had satiated him. While being under that effect, he could promise to steal a lightning from the very same Zeus.

However, the following morning when Olympias talked abut her departure towards the Lyceum, King Philip looked very surprised and tried to think when he had accepted that. He late realized that he had been manipulated once again due to his weakness for his wife's tempting and sneaky body.

As many of his most trusted men surrounded them, the king did not dare to deny his consent and simply nodded towards her. The queen smiled broadly in triumph so things began to be organized and packed for the long stay in the summerhouse. Maids and pages were coming and going carrying things in their arms but what called the king's attention most was the presence of five very young teenagers, girls similar in age and beauty to the prince, and the king suddenly realized what Olympias's real reason was, hidden behind her innocent visit to her so missed son. She was going there to play dirty. To get her son from the brunette's claws.

Philip thought that Hephaestion would be a worthy rival to the queen and he would pay a hundred gold coins to see their "war" because he was sure that there would be blood … and tears … and broken hearts …

A month went by since the news had arrived at the Macedonian palace and four of them had gone since the two lovebirds had shared their first shy kisses, which by now, had turned into toe-curling ones, leaving them with swollen lips and itchy bodies. They had not gone further than sharing kisses but the time for more was arriving sooner than they thought. They were already fourteen years old, a suitable age to discover the pleasure of the flesh.

Their bodies had flourished in those last months and, with them, their desire for the other and the need to work out all that unresolved sexual tension between them. Hands had begun to wander below their waists, testing their reactions that had been always the same lately, hard manhoods, wet spots in their loincloths and laboured breathings after those explorations. However, none of them dared to take that step further in their relationship; they were afraid that they would change too much, turned weaker, or that if it did not work, they would lose the precious gift of their friendship because they also knew that after being lovers, there was no way back to friends.

The most reluctant was the brunette Hephaestion, he had more to lose than Alexander; he had walked into that relationship with his cyan eyes wide open, knowing that he would have to step aside when Alexander was in need to look for a wife to give him an heir. He was not blind but he was determined to enjoy the time they could have together so then, when they were apart, he would be able to cherish every shared moment and then offer Alexander a deeper friendship and his eternal loyalty to him and his family. He would also help the prince to follow and achieve his dreams, even if he had to follow him up to the end of the earth … or die in the conquest of them.

However, the prince had a complete different vision of their relationship. Hephaestion was the most romantic of the two but never in a girlish way. On the other hand, Alexander was getting more and more possessive with every single day that they spent together and he had also realized that he was not good at sharing, a serious defect on his part because he knew that Hephaestion, who was a free spirit, would feel trapped if he was constantly followed or watched. The prince had to learn to control that jealousy because if he did not, he would run the risk of turning Hephaestion into his most important weakness when he already saw him as his strength and anchor.

Alexander, in spite of his fourteen years, had very mature thoughts; he knew what his parents expected from him, his father wanted a strong ruler and a soldier, her mother wanted a ruthless king and a King of kings. He knew he would have to work hard to achieve those dreams but right now, what he wanted, more than anything, was to enjoy life before it got too complicated. And to add to his happiness, he wanted to enjoy this time with Hephaestion, his steadfast friend, his lover-to-be …..

Hephaestion was coming from the nearby river, where he had taken a quick dip, his strong chest bare while tiny drops of water were travelling along his sun kissed skin. He was toweling his hair with his damp chiton and looking downwards. That was why he did not see the newcomers arrived. However, a burst of feminine giggles made him lift his head and he found himself looking at five very pretty young girls, all of them wearing colourful peplos, with their hair combed into very intricate hairstyles.

The young boy looked again and saw a tall skinny woman in a red peplos descending from a cart. Her dark hair was full of long curls that made her look like a pretty Medusa but her eyes were cold as ice and he did not feel comfortable at all under her disapproving look.

When their eyes crossed, one pair green and the other blue, Hephaestion sensed feelings of hatred coming his way and he feared for his life.

"Don't you bow in front of your Queen?" Olympias asked with venom in her voice and a snake around her arm.

Hephaestion bowed slightly and apologized for his lack of respect, even though he realized he had not done anything wrong.

"Don't you have any kind of respect? How do you dare walk like that in front of your Queen and these fine noble young ladies, who one of them would become your future Queen?" she said, almost hissing every single word.

In that precise moment, Olympias knew she had won her first battle against her son's lover and that the poor brunette, still bow in front of her, did not know who he was dealing with yet.

The only thing Hephaestion knew at that moment was that his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces and that he had not been able to hide his pain before it showed in his eyes. Hephaestion stood up and put his damp and dirty chiton on again. The damp cloth enveloped and outstood all his muscles and the wonderful sight woke up, once more, the giggling of the young ladies.

Olympias made them shut up with one single icy look and the five ladies froze in their places.

At least, three different pairs of running footsteps could be heard approaching them and suddenly, a blonde young boy followed by a grey wolf and a black Saraman dog bumped into the brunette, throwing him to the floor. Sotiris and Peritas started to lick Hephaestion's face while Alexander tickled the tempting body beneath his. The prince had been planning this encounter all day long and when he did not find his friend in the river, he thought he had missed the opportunity to capture his brunette and convince him to spend the night in the woods as the following day was going to be their day off.

Alexander was about to kiss Hephaestion on the lips when he saw the blue eyes he loved so much, fully dilated, but it had not been him who had provoked that. The prince followed the frantic looks that Hephaestion was throwing over his right shoulder and Alexander found himself looking into the greenest and angriest eyes he had ever seen in his fourteen years.

"Joy to you Mother" he calmly said while standing up.

Instead of going to greet her properly, the prince outstretched his hand and helped Hephaestion to stand up. He then took a brunette tress in his fingers and combed it gently behind the brunette's ear, provoking his mother's wrath with that simple but meaningful gesture. Alexander realized that things would be wrong between them if he went on behaving like that …

However, Alexander decided that he would not let his mother reign over his will and heart as he had left her do before; he was his own man now; he wanted to be the ruler of his actions and not a mere pawn in his mother's devious plans. He breathed deeply and turned round to face his mother, who was still fuming in her place. But before moving, he took Hephaestion's hands in his and made him walk together towards the Queen. The brunette did not want to follow Alexander's path as he did not want to raise the Queen's anger once more but Alexander did not care about that, he wanted his Phai by his side and no one would tell him who he should be with.

The blonde prince and his brunette friend looked at the young ladies standing there, being the witnesses of a mother and son's battle of wills. Most of them had a terrified look in their eyes, with a submissive attitude revealed by their hunched shoulders, except one. This young lady was at the back of the rest and a bit separated as if she did not feel comfortable being there. Alexander and Hephaestion were attracted to her immediately, recognizing in her many of the characteristics they valued in each other. She truly outstood from the lot, her hair was a shiny red and her head was covered in long curls up to her waist, giving the image of a head on fire, she also wore a fringe to one side, a not very common hairstyle among young ladies in those times. She was quite tall for being a girl and her face, of a white complexion, was covered in tiny freckles that added a certain exotic look to her. Her eyes were also weird; with a strange shade of green, not like Olympias's, her eyes had a warmth look and they made you feel comfortable in her presence. The girl saw the two boys looking at her and, instead of blushing, as any of the rest would do, she threw them a fierce look as if she were annoyed by their appreciation. Her arched eyebrow put an end to their silent observation. But the clearing voice of the Queen made them look at her and so the red haired girl went back to be the tiniest of the problems they were about to face.

They knew that the Queen was ready to go to war, Hephaestion positively knew she had won the first battle by humiliating him in front of the young ladies, making him look as a mere servant. However, Alexander had won a tiny scuffle by not running to her side as soon as he was there. Both boys knew that they would only win if they presented a united front but maybe an inner help could be achieved in the following days. It would be a subtle work; no one should realize what the boys would be doing because they could be in peril of losing all before even starting, all that meant for them the world.


	14. Day 13

_**Day Thirteen: Friendship of a Woman. **_

That first night after Olympias's arrival had been a real nightmare; anything that had been planned, on both sides, could be fulfilled. Alexander's idea of wooing his Phai by the river had to be postponed until further notice; he also had to add the confrontation with his mother and his lover-to- be, a situation that had put Hephaestion on a defensive and, at the same time, retreating attitude, and Alexander could not pamper his friend when he was feeling like that.

On Olympias's side, her manipulation would have to wait until the morning, she had never had in mind such an early confrontation with his son's lover and she had not been quick enough to hide her real feelings towards the brunette or to mask the real goal that was bringing her to Mieza.

The only guilty person of all this miscalculation was poor old Master Aristotle who, on knowing that the Macedonian Queen had just arrived at Mieza, wanted to present her his respect by organizing a small banquet for her and the six young ladies who accompanied her. The poor old man was totally oblivious to the undergoing situation between the mother Queen and the prince and so he had followed that ancient protocol he had been raised with.

On top of all that misunderstanding, the girls were truly distracted by the rest of the present companions, all of them young and noble boys and youths, who were more than happy to have such beautiful female company after long months without seeing or having any kind of interaction with them. Not many of them were active sexually speaking but the ones who were had been having some problems in releasing their pent up tension.

Two of the young girls had set their eyes on the brunette Cassander who was flirting with them shamelessly. The brunette knew he was handsome enough to attract any of the present maidens; he could rival Alexander any time, however he was doubtful of his charm if Hephaestion was nearby, the brunette had a way to lure people under his spell without knowing or doing it on purpose. A very voluptuous black haired girl was throwing lusty looks towards Ptolemy, who even been a taken young man, was giving her bedroom eyes. The girl was gorgeous and the youth had felt his groin stir at the mere sight of that long silky dark hair that caressed the maiden's slender waist. His hands were fidgety and eager to go and run along that mass of hair and if he could touch some of the skin beneath it, he would certainly not protest. Unfortunately for the elder blonde, his lover appeared unexpectedly and, seeing the situation revealed in front of his eyes, decided to claim his lover by kissing him on the lips quite passionately in front of such lady who felt offended for being led on and walked away fuming. Ptolemy got lost between Perdicas's lips and if the elder blonde suffered the bruising of his own lips and the pinching of his buttocks due to his recent flirting, he did not let anyone see it and he finally decided to enjoy the well-known body of his male lover.

The other two girls that had been wandering around the place, whispering and gossiping between them while looking at the prince and appraising his royal posture and manly beauty, had quickly realized that they were no rival to Hephaestion who seemed to have the young blonde prince totally bewitched. They also realized that the sentiment between them was totally requited, no one could fake so much love in order to anger another person, this person being the queen herself. There was too much love, or at least, caring between those two and their eyes revealed an intimacy that went beyond their own bodies. They decided to look for an easier prey before they were empty-handed and enjoyed the banquet in the company of some willing young men.

Queen Olympias tried to follow Aristotle's never ending chattering, nodding and exclaiming in the correct places but without listening to a single word the old man was saying. She let her cold green eyes wander around the room, looking at the interaction among the young people around the table and she could not believe what she was seeing and, most of all, she could not understand what was happening and how nothing had resulted as she had so carefully planned. She was a master at cunning actions to get what she wanted but she had been surpassed by a bunch of youths who did not followed her plans as people always did. She had learnt, in that hard way, that young people were more unpredictable that elder people, and so she decided to think better for her next movements.

She saw her special guests flirting with everyone except with Alexander who was sat next to Hephaestion, so close to each other that it seemed they were glued to the other by their hips. Both young boys were lost in their own happy world, unaware of the movement around them, only paying attention to what was happening between them. They were sat at the table, sharing a plate of food and a goblet of watered wine and eating out of it as if they were an old married couple. Queen Olympias was about to scream her despair and wrath when she saw Alexander taking an apple from a nearby tray, polished it against his chiton, cut it in quarters and offered it to his brunette as if he were a mere servant or a inferior page. The whole action was done while Alexander graced his lips with a tiny and intimate smile that only grew broader when he set his two coloured eyes on his cyan partners. The handsome brunette smiled back and blushed slightly at the ender gesture and nibbled at the apple while giving furtive looks at his prince's lips that were brilliant due to the apple juices. The brunette had to control his desire to take those lips there in a searing kiss and snogged his owner senseless, until no one in the room could doubt who the blonde belonged to and who the only owner of his heart was.

Olympias could also realize that that simple gesture of sharing their food seemed to be born from their deep love and that fact revealed that it was a commonly shared gesture in the relationship between those two.

She tried not to look at them again because she knew she was going to lose her temper and she had already done that earlier in the day, so she continued looking at the rest of the presents while trying to get her nerves to a calmer state.

The queen suddenly noticed that only one of the six girls was not taking part actively in the banquet and she thought that that girl could be her salvation after all. She looked at the red-haired girl and tried to remember her name; she had been the last chosen maiden to accompany her and the queen had not liked her a lot as soon as she met her but she had accepted her company, one more girl meant one more rival that sneaky Hephaestion would have to deal with. Her name came suddenly to her mind, the girl was called Megara and she looked like a girl with a temper of her own. She looked as if she was not going to be an easy person to manage and convince but she also knew that if she could, she would have a formidable weapon against the brunette.

She saw that Megara was looking at all the people in the room, with her eyes almost closed into two thin slits, but that she was especially paying attention to Alexander and Hephaestion and the interaction between them. Olympias thought that maybe Megara was assessing the situation and getting to know her preys without being seeing. She liked that attitude in a woman, ready to think first and then strike to get what she wanted, so similar to her own nature. She had perfected her techniques along the years and she was ready to share them with that youth if she was willing to follow her commands.

The queen soon discovered that she was being looked back by the red haired girl and when she looked into her warm green eyes, so different to her own cold ones, she did not know what to think because, for the first time in a long while, she had found a pair of eyes she could not read. Her physical posture and the expression in her eyes did not match at all, that confused Olympias a lot, and that was unacceptable, she had always been good at reading people but that girl remained closed to her skill.

Megara nodded at her, acknowledging her observation, and walked towards where Alexander and Hephaestion were still sharing their dinner, without caring what was happening around them. They were so lost in each other that they did not notice her standing by their side. She cleared her voice, let an "Excuse me" leave her lips in a voice that sounded quite melodious in spite of her hard face expression, and made them look at her.

"Is there anything we could do for you?" Alexander asked gently without letting her know about his annoyance for being interrupted in his time alone with his Phai.

"In fact, I think I am the one who could do something for you two" she answered in such a straightforward way that made the two youths looked at her a bit surprised.

"What do you mean? Why would we need your help?" Hephaestion asked, his baritone voice laced with preoccupation; that girl had picked his attention.

"I imagine that you have already realized why we are here, the Queen had already made the mistake of revealing her secret agenda in a moment of anger earlier today. You, my gorgeous boy, made her mad" Megara said running a finger over Hephaestion's strong covered chest.

Alexander looked at her and frowned at the intimate gesture the recent newcomer had dared to do to his Phai, especially when he was still present. The red haired girl saw Alexander's anger and Hephaestion's discomfort and a broad smile appeared on Megara's freckled face.

"That is what the Queen is looking for" she said seriously again.

"What is that?" Alexander asked puzzled but letting his annoyance show in his voice.

"What no, she is looking for a who!" she said more animatedly and really enjoying the confusing situation.

"A who? Do you realize that you are not making any sense?" Hephaestion added, his own face graced with puzzlement.

"Someone who meddle with you and tear you two apart" she said mockingly because those two boys had not been able to grasp the concept yet. That fact spoke highly of the good and innocent nature of their hearts.

"Why? All this girly thinking is so confusing" Alexander said, grabbing his head between his hands.

"I cannot believe you are so thick-head, Alexander! You need a woman!" Megara said almost shouting, not believing that the prince, whose mind was one of the quickest, had not caught the concept yet.

"A woman? What for?" he asked again but Megara could see the wheels in Hephaestion's mind turning round quickly, already realizing what she wanted to explain.

"A woman who could bear your children, your future heirs and, even though I have to recognize that Hephaestion is a sight for sore eyes, he does not have the correct equipment to give you that" Megara explained and she immediately realized that the prince had truly understood when a flash of pain covered his two coloured eyes.

Hephaestion blushed deeply at the plain talk of the red haired girl and Alexander, quickly recovered from that serious and deep pang of pain, started to form an idea inside his head; and the strategist had been born in that same moment and the idea of a future alliance with Megara would be forged in that warm evening in Mieza.


	15. Day 14

_**Day Fourteen: Some needed reassurance.**_

Hephaestion quickly understood what Megara was so openly and unselfishly offering, however it was hard for the brunette to see Megara spending the whole banquet talking to both of them at first; but then she started to separate Alexander from Hephaestion by sitting herself between them as she wanted to test her theory about the queen's plot to separate the two lovers.

In order to achieve that, Megara made her advances towards the prince more notorious and flirtatious. She smiled lovingly at the blonde youth as if the young man were the very same Apollo in disguise or she giggled after he had said something, making it seem more interesting than it had really been, as if only pearls of wisdom fell from the blonde's mouth. She also batted her eyes towards him or hid them beneath her delicate hand, making herself blush as if she were the most innocent flower in the whole room. Nobody could deny that she was a true master of deception but no one knew why the young maiden was so resourceful or the deep reason behind the attitude she was showing. In a moment, she realized that they had caught the Queen's attention so she tried twice as hard to let her see how well they were getting along and how she had managed to keep the prince's attention only on her person.

At the same time that Queen Olympias's smile got bigger and bigger, Hephaestion's frown got deeper and deeper and his heart heavier. The brunette realized that all those displayed scenes were part of the show they were trying to sell the others but he also knew that that very same situation was actually going to arrive any day, sooner than what he had really expected or desired. He had never considered time as an enemy but he would have to see like that firm that moment onwards.

Hephaestion looked, out of the corner of his eye, the wide smile that was gracing the queen's face and he realized that their plan might not be as successful as they had thought before. If the queen saw how well Alexander and Megara were getting along, she might force them to get them engaged before they had planned the second part of their plot.

Megara was talking to Alexander animatedly and the blonde youth was answering her questions, at first, with monosyllabic answers and devoid of emotion and interest but then, he had started to answer her with more details and he discovered himself enjoying their conversation. Megara was totally different to any of the young women he had met before; she was really a strong maiden with many interesting things to share and his mind was witty and smart, rival to his Phai's. In a moment, Megara was telling Alexander a sad story about one of her pets and the prince had felt the need to comfort her so he had taken her small and delicate hand between his bigger ones and cradled them until the red-haired girl ended telling him her story. When it was over, he patted her hand once more time and let it free after squeezing her fingers gently, showing her some consideration about her feelings. The gesture had been totally innocent and any of the two persons involved had seen it with a different meaning.

However, two pairs of clear eyes had seen the full exchange between them and they had reacted in accordance to their own deep feelings. The cold green eyes had sparkled with joy because their owner had never thought to have a second victory so soon after the first one; she was sure that she had made really good and steady advances in only a few hours. On the other hand, the cyan sad eyes had seen their owner's world crumble in a heap of shattered dreams and the heaviness of his heart sank it deeper into a hollow chest. The brunette could not believe how much he was about to lose when the real thing happened in their near future.

Megara, out of the corner of her eye, saw both reactions and had very opposing feelings; she was happy because she had been able to fool the queen so easily, just bating her eyes and sharing some giggles and pieces of conversation. However, she also felt sad because she was hurting an innocent young boy who was deeply in love with the golden prince and that's aid prince requited the same feelings towards him. She thought that she would have to find a way to reassure the brunette that her intentions towards Alexander were totally innocent and that she did not want any kind of answer on the prince's part; she only wanted to make the queen's plans fail and help them to be together without any meddling from the royal woman.

Nevertheless, before she could put her plan of reassurance into practice, she sadly saw the blue-eyed boy walking out of the room quietly with his head hanging over his chest, his shoulders hunched forward and dragging his feet onto the marble floors as if he had difficulty in walking out of the room.

Mother and son also saw his quiet and quick departure. The former breathed deeply, knowing that the handsome troublemaker had finally learnt his lesson while the latter was ready to jump of the chair and go after his beloved friend. A gentle touch on his arm prevented him from doing that; the simple look in Megara's face alerted him that if he had gone after his Hephaestion, they would have ruined the entire plan and then Olympias would remain suspicious and she would probably set someone on them, following them as a shadow and reporting to her of every single of their movements.

No matter what Megara did for the rest of the evening, she could not bring back the amicable chatting that they had shared during most of the banquet or that nice smile that used to grace the prince's lips. Alexander looked a bit jumpy as if he were to run away anytime soon, almost constantly looking at the door through which his beloved Phai had fled before. If looks could bring someone back, Hephaestion would have been there soon after he had left; but looks did not have that power so Alexander had to resign to not seeing his beloved back and he sulked the rest of the night unaware of the cold eyes set on them.

Queen Olympias did not want to let her moment of victory get cold so she headed towards them to see what had happened to have their jolly moods gone. She would not allow her son to fall for that boy again, not now when she had found a girl who could set her claws onto her son and keep him under control, well, under Olympias's control.

When Megara saw the queen coming their way, she freaked out; she knew that the mood between Alexander and her had gone cold when Alexander realized that Hephaestion was no coming back so she knew she had to do something and do it quickly. She started to giggle and slapped Alexander's arm gently to bring the boy's attention back to her. The young boy luckily reacted immediately and joined her in the light laughing, trying to mask his broken heart, and acting as if he were having the best of the times in the company of his new female friend.

"I see you are having a nice time together" the woman said with a sickly-sweet voice.

"Yes, we are, mother. What about yourself?" Alexander asked sounding very respectful.

"I have been having an interesting conversation with master Aristotle, you can spend the whole day talking to him and never get bored" she said, lying.

"And you cannot imagine how funny and interesting his classes are; we are really learning a lot of useful things" Alexander added, trying to protect his master from his mother's poisonous tongue.

"I am sure you are. So I see you have met Megara" the queen said looking at the girl and smiling at her.

"Yes, I have and we have been talking almost all the evening long, haven't we?" Alexander said, trying to show in his voice his interest about the red haired girl.

"Yes, of course, my prince, you know so many interesting things that I am amazed at such vast knowledge" the young maiden answered, trying to mask her true disgust for the queen.

"I am so happy that you were able to find a friend among the girls, Alexander; for a moment you had me worried" Olympias said and as soon as she said those words, she immediately regretted saying them because she would bring back her son's attention to his missing partner.

"Why is that, mother? Why were you worried?" Alexander asked, trying to make his mother mention Hephaestion's name.

"Because you are growing up and any day soon you will have to look for a nice and strong Macedonian woman to accompany you during your life" she said, being careful with every single word she uttered, knowing that a single slip of the tongue could cause a problem and her plans would totally crumble.

"I am still young, mother, I have time for that" Alexander said, trying to belittle the topic of their conversation.

"It takes time to find and know a person well …" Olympias said gently, looking at Megara who was in silence, standing beside the prince, her emerald eyes cast down. Anyone could have thought she was the true image of a well educated maiden but she was not looking at the queen because she knew she could not hide her disgust for the Epirote woman for a long time

"Unless you have already found your true love. In that case, you know how fast your heart beats whenever your beloved is near; how much you miss them when they are not near you or that they are the only people who make you feel happy. And finally knowing that by being together, everything is going to be alright" Alexander expressed his feelings so convincingly that Olympias threw him a menacing look.

"Have you already found true love, my prince?" Megara asked, praying to all the gods that Alexander remember his part of the deal.

"No yet, it is what people who had found it said about the feelings that are born with that meeting of twin souls" Alexander answered, his jaw clenched. The boy wanted to say the truth, he wanted to shout that he already knew what true love was because he had found it in his Phai, but he knew better than that, he knew he should keep quiet and follow the plan, at least, until his mother was no longer around.

"Well, maybe true love is nearer than you think, son" Olympias said, throwing a knowing look towards Megara, as if she was already giving them her blessing.

"Maybe, mother, maybe" the boy answered plainly, not denying the fact at all but without confirming it.

Alexander knew that it was quite difficult to sound civilized in that moment when the only thing he wanted to do was to run to his chamber and take his Phai between his arms and covered his lips with his kisses, until the brunette did not doubt that he was the real owner of the prince's heart and love.

Olympias sensed Alexander's stoic attitude and, even though she wanted to go on pressing on the subject, she decided to make a wise retreat and leave her son alone for a while; she would have time in the following days to plan her second attack.

By the end of the summer, Alexander would not know whom or what had hit him but he would be doing what his mother wanted. The queen never left any problems unsolved and she would twist everything to get finally, what she came looking for.

She bid her farewells especially to master Aristotle and her son and then she summoned the maidens to follow her, excusing their departure with the young boys by telling them that they were starting to feel their tiredness after such a long journey and a lovely and hearty dinner. Of course, any of the young people shared her opinion but they all decided to follow her lead.

* * *

As soon as his mother let the room, Alexander ran back to his chamber and entered it quickly, bolting the door behind him. He could distinguish Phai's shape beneath the sheet and cover and he realized that the moving bulge was no one else than his beloved sobbing alone. He quickly undressed and slid naked beneath the sheets, spooning the taller young boy, his chest against the brunette's broad back. The prince immediately hugged his friend and let one of his hands rest onto his flat stomach while the other caressed the slightly hairy chest softly, as if a thousands of butterflies were batting her little wings over the brunette's cold skin.

Alexander felt Hephaestion stiffen against his body and he cursed his mother for that; she had only brought problems to him since the moment she arrived and she had only made his Phai suffer from that very same moment onwards. The prince knew that he needed to calm Hephaestion down first if he wanted to talk about what was happening and he knew that the best and quickest way to do that was to make him feel comfortable and reassured. He began kissing the blue-eyed boy's nape, peppering the warm skin with tiny open-mouthed kisses; he felt his Phai a bit less tense so he continued with his ministrations, switching his kisses with tiny and gentle bites to that spot beneath his earlobe that made Hephaestion moan in ecstasy.

Between soft kisses and gentle bites, Alexander felt Hephaestion's fingers entwine with his own and one of his feet rub against the prince's calf.

Their caresses got bolder and more sensual, with hands wandering around their nether regions and snaking between their legs, finding that they were almost aroused. Alexander, who had a more advantageous position, took his beloved's length in his hand and caressed it from tip to root, following the engorged vein with his fingertips until he reached the mushroom shaped head and played with the slit that was already leaking tiny drops of precome. Hephaestion let a low moan escape between his clenched lips and pushed his full body closer to his prince's as if he wanted to fuse them together. He started to rub his behind along Alexander's erection and made the blonde boy groan. One of the prince's hands tightened around Hephaestion's hipbone and pushed him further into his body, rubbing his manhood against that delectable and so tempting arse. Alexander's hand around Hephaestion's length started to move faster, he wanted to get the brunette off so he could show him who he was in love with. Hephaestion came with a long and low moan and his sated body melted against Alexander's. A minute later, he rolled onto his side to face his lover and grabbing Alexander's face between his hands, he snogged him senseless. When their kiss ended, Hephaestion could still feel Alexander's hardness against his thigh so he gently asked:

"Why don't you let me help you with that?" his voice tinged with deep desire and love.

"It is alright, Phai" the prince replied, hiding his face in Hephaestion's neck and kissing the soft skin there.

"Are you sure? I don't mind …" he was stopped by a chaste kiss on his lips.

"This night was just for you, love" Alexander explained and grabbing the discarded chiton by the bed, he cleaned the mess on Hephaestion's stomach gently, he already knew his Phai did not like the sensation of dry semen onto his skin.

"But I …" Hephaestion started to protest but he was interrupted once more when Alexander draped his left arm across his chest and rested his head over the brunette's chest.

"It is you I love, Hephaestion, only you, no one else" the blonde whispered against the warm chest and kissing it reverently.

"I know, and I love you too, even if you need to take a girlfriend" Hephaestion said, realizing what was bothering his friend.

"I think that if Megara wants to help us, we should let her" Alexander said while caressing the brunette's chest hair with his fingertips, whiles scribbling many "I love yous" onto the still wet skin.

"It is a good idea but you should set the conditions clear from the very beginning so there will not be any mistake later" the diplomat in the makings suggested seriously.

"We, I mean, you and me, will talk to her when the moment comes. Now let's sleep; tomorrow we are back to training and classes" Alexander said, kissing the brunette's shoulder and spooning him gently.

Both boys felt reassured and basked in the happiness of their love, a love that was so strong that it would get over any problem … or that was what they thought ….


	16. Day 15

_**Day Fifteen: A drunken experience. **_

_**A/N: The words in bold belong to the lyrics "Don't speak" by No Doubt.**_

Nearly two months had gone by since the queen and her six maidens arrived at Mieza; they would be staying until the end of the summer and Olympias was determined to leave the lyceum with a promise of engagement on Alexander's side.

The best candidate was a small brunette girl called Athina but she was so shy and she got so nervous when talking to Alexander that she had already passed out two out of the three times she had dared to speak to him more than five words together. She was the perfect candidate because, due to her weak character, she would be quite malleable in Olympias's hands but the queen also understood that she would give a wrong impression to other rulers if she could not get over her lack of confidence. Alexander needed a strong queen; one who could accompany him in his decisions, who could stay strong during the difficult moments, who could accept her husband's whims and lastly but never least important, who could give him the children Alexander needed to follow his dreams and help him to expand the big empire she was so sure her son would build.

Athina was also discarded when she started to show her interest in Philotas, who was Parmenion's son and her biggest headache. The man wanted power so badly that she was afraid to discover that he would do anything to get more than the one he already had.

The queen resigned to accept the possibility of having Megara, the red-haired demon, as her future daughter-in-law. She had to admit that that particular maiden had many of the conditions a true queen needed: she had a strong character; she was intelligent and had a witty and quick tongue. She did not chicken out when she was confronted before during a conversation with the companions and she had already shown the calm of a confident person.

What it was also important was that Alexander seemed to be quite comfortable in her presence; he even laughed and chatted with her. During the last two months, they had spent quite a lot of time together, mostly alone and she had shown interest in everything Alexander told her; she was quick at understanding about manly topics and she had also seemed to feel comfortable in the prince's presence. Even though she had managed to snatch the prince out from Hephaestion's claws, she could still be kind to him whenever the brunette was around.

Olympias was a bit perplexed at Hephaestion's behaviour. She thought that the brunette was going to offer some resistance; she was so sure that the Amyntoros boy would show his teeth and claim Alexander for himself but he had stayed quite calm. She was feeling a bit disappointed because she had come to Mieza looking for a good fight with the blue-eyed boy. She had heard so many things about him that she was glad to have a good adversary for once; King Philip admired the young boy's quick mind and loyalty to Alexander; Cleitus had taken a shine to the boy's body and his looks; master Aristotle praised his intelligence and diplomatic skills and Alexander loved everything that the other boy had, did or thought.

Therefore, it was quite a shock to see the brunette retreat from the undeclared silent war without fighting a single battle. The queen had been worried because she thought that she would have to work hard to keep the boy apart from Alexander but the most decided Megara had achieved that in their first night and she had been able to keep Alexander's interest on her in the last two months.

The brunette might have retreated from the scene but he had not left it without scars; she had caught him watching at Alexander and Megara when they were spending time together and Hephaestion had never been quick enough at hiding the pain that clouded his cyan eyes. He had also seen him wringing his hands strongly whenever the red haired girl touched Alexander on his arm or when, sporadically she set a kiss on the blonde boy's cheek.

One evening, most of the companions were gathered in the garden at the back of the school; they were enjoying a well-deserved rest after an exhausting day of practice and studies and the young maidens were embroidering some clothes while speaking with them. Some of the girls had asked Ptolemy to read them aloud some poems, the elder blonde youth had a nice tone of voice and his reading had always had a soothing effect in anybody who happened to listen to him. He had chosen some poems by one of the greatest lyric poets, a woman called Sappho, the poet who had written about love and passion for various people and both genders. He knew that his choice would provoke a commotion in some of the young girls but he was in the mood to cheer his mates, especially the young brunette with cyan eyes who was suffering from love. He would also include some references the poet had written about Homer's poems, one of Hephaestion's favourite poets.

The reading provoked the reaction Ptolemy was looking for among the young women and suddenly one of them asked him to read parts of that story Sappho talked about. Ptolemy took his Iliad and chose to read the chant XVI, also known as the Patroclea. Hephaestion, who had been listening carefully to his friend's reading, could not bear the reading of that part anymore, his heart was hurting so much that he quietly left the garden feeling extremely sad. What hurt him most was that not even Alexander had noticed his anguish or his departure.

On his way out, he bumped into Cleitus who immediately realized that something had happened in the garden. He asked Hephaestion what his problem was but the brunette replied that he did not have any problem, that he had left because he was bored and that he preferred be doing something else instead of spending the afternoon listening to some lesbic poems. Cleitus decided not to push the brunette further, he knew that the boy would speak if he needed to. The black warrior told him that he was heading towards a kind of tavern outside the school grounds, in the nearby town and that he was invited to go with him. The brunette thought that for a while and decided to go with the man; thinking that he did not have to drink if he did not want it.

As soon as they entered the place, they were greeted by some women, all of them dressed in very transparent clothes that let their young and tempting bodies on display. One of the youngest ones took Hephaestion by the arm, led him to a nearby table and set a goblet of unwatered wine in his hand. The young boy did not hesitate at all and finished off the whole goblet in two big gulps. The red and strong Macedonian wine went directly to the brunette's head and he felt immediately dizzy but that did not stop him from asking for more. When Cleitus realized that he had not seen Hephaestion for a while, one talented mistress had been pleasuring the warrior thoroughly; he stopped the woman's ministrations and started to look around the room searching for the missing boy. The boy in question was being deeply snogged by a very talented young girl who had him pinned against a wall, her voluptuous body was rubbing against the muscled one and her hands were wandering beneath the short chiton. Hephaestion let a loud moan leave his mouth when the girl took his cock in her small hands and started to massage it to get it hard so she could have a go at him.

Cleitus did not know what to do; he knew that the boy was drunk and probably did not know too well what he was doing but, on the other hand, he really did not want to stop his pleasure at that point. He knew he had to think quickly and he was about to act when his decision was taken from his hands.

A furious Alexander had entered the place like a golden avenger and snatched his beloved from the arms and wandering hands of the slutty young woman who looked at him as if she wanted to kill him there. However, she did not do anything, she felt frozen in her spot when she saw the wrath in those strange two coloured eyes and she realized that the boy was extremely furious and ready to fight until death. She gave the whole situation a second thought and realized that, even the brunette was a handsome and healthy young man, he was not worth a fight. To put the matter worse, she had lately realized that the boy was so drunk that he would not be able to get it up and she was not going to work hard to end with a sleeping boy between her spread legs.

She released the boy into the blonde boy's arms who took him tenderly to a nearby chair. The brunette let his head hang over his chest and after some minutes he left the place running, a big hand covering his mouth. Alexander followed him at a quiet pace, he already knew what he was going to find, Hephaestion, at 15, could still not bear too much alcohol in his body and he always ended up vomiting the contents of his stomach and then feeling sad and needy.

The prince approached his young friend who was still retching in the deserted alley and started to rub his back with comforting movements. The brunette finished heaving and cleaning his mouth with the hem of his chiton, raised his face and looked at the prince, who had a worried expression in his face.

He sighed deeply and opened his mouth to speak but shut it immediately after. He approached the knelt boy and made him sit so he could sit by his side and speak about what was going on. He looked at those cyan eyes, which were now reddish after all that retching, and said calmly.

"**You and me, we used to be together****, ****every day together always** but we do not do that so frequently as before.**I really feel****that I'm losing my best friend**. **I can't believe** that after all we had lived together **t****his could be the end. ****It looks as though you're letting go** everything we had **a****nd if it's real,****well I don't want to know**."

Hephaestion looked at him again and with his face still blushed he pleaded:

"**Don't speak****,****I know just what you're saying****,****so please stop explaining, ****d****on't tell me 'cause it hurts. ****Don't speak,****I know what you're thinking****, ****I don't need your reasons,** because they are no longer true and **don't tell me** that you still care about me **'cause it hurts** as it is not true"

Alexander looked at his crying friend and could not really understand why he was saying that. He was going to ask him to explain it better when the brunette went on talking:

"**Our memories****, t****hey can be inviting,****b****ut some are altogether****mighty frightening**, especially the ones we had been living for the last two months. **As we die, both you and I** and our love, with **my head in my hands,****I sit and cry** about all the things I am losing"

What are you saying, my love? Can't you see that I am still in love with you? a desperate Alexander tried to make his lover understand.

**It's all ending****, ****I gotta stop pretending who we are. You and me****, ****I can see us dying, are we?** And with us, our love that used to be the purest thing two persons could have" the brunette said and hid his face in his arms over his bent knees.

"I don't really know why you are saying this when it is you the one who had been so reluctant to any kind of intimacy with me lately. Don't you love me anymore, Phai?" the fifteen –year-old prince asked his beloved.

"Of course I love you, Xander but you will announce your engagement in a month so I decided to set you free, you don't have to put up with me anymore. I am sorry about his, you know I cannot handle alcohol so well so it is my drunkenness speaking. From now on, I will not be a burden for you, my prince" Hephaestion said seriously, sobering up a bit.

"Of course it is your drunkenness speaking because I have never listened to you speaking so many stupidities all together" Alexander said angrily; Hephaestion was setting him free and he would not accept that at all.

"But it is true, you need Megara by your side, she is a nice young woman and she is beautiful and intelligent, she will be the perfect queen and your mother will be so proud of you. I will be helping you anyway and my future queen too, in anything you both would need" Hephaestion said, standing up.

"Alright, you want me to be engaged to Megara, I will do it just for you" Alexander said and left Hephaestion alone in the alley, totally dumbstruck, because due to his big mouth and stupidity, he would loose the only person he was eager to spend his life with.

Hephaestion left the place and walked slowly back to the school. He wanted to go and speak to Alexander but he did not know what else to say; he had pushed his friend too far this time and he was the only guilty because he had not believed his beloved's words of love. He had also misunderstood the former plan the three of them had planned to defeat Olympias's plot but the brunette had fallen victim of his own fears and jealousy and he had decided to throw the towel, even before starting the fight.

The more he thought about the disaster he had created, the guiltier he felt because he had, not only let Alexander down but also himself, renouncing so easily to the prince whom he had claimed to love with all his heart.

He really did not deserve the prince's love but he would work hard to regain his trust and maybe, with time, Alexander could see that he was still loyal to him and his dreams.

The brunette went directly to his chamber and avoided the main room where laughs and talking could be heard. Tomorrow would be a new day and the first one he would be living without Alexander's love.


	17. Day 16

_**Day Sixteen: Alexander's engagement.**_

The news ran fast like the wind among the companions; by the end of the summer Alexander would be engaged to the red haired Megara who would later turned into their queen. The rest of the maidens started to wander around the most important girl in the palace and queen Olympias had started to feel neglected due to the lack of attention from the girls. Totally unexpected, Megara was the only one who continued behaving towards the queen as she had done it previously, with respect and even consulting about her embroideries and other chores that they were supposed to be doing around or in their chambers in the small palace.

Queen Olympias appreciated her good behaviour so she started to spend more time with her, trying to know her better. Of course, due to Olympias's controlling nature, her intentions were not as innocent as she let the rest believe; she really wanted to discover if the red haired Megara had any notorious flaws so she could use them against her, if necessary. Her son needed only one strong woman to guide him and, without any doubt, that strong woman and advisor would always be Olympias, not only because she had given birth to him but also because she was the only one who knew what he needed best.

* * *

**flashback**

Megara was sitting in the back garden, her busy fingers were sewing one little stitch after the other, she was making a new embroidery for one of his newest peplos but her mind was not totally on her work; her mind was reliving the whole conversation she had had with Alexander some days before.

"Joy to you, Megara, may I talk to you?" Alexander said quite quickly after entering the common room.

"Of course, my prince. What do you need to speak about? Is Hephaestion alright? I haven't seen him all day" she asked mild worried because she had noticed that those were not attached by the hip anymore and that could only bring more problems.

"I don't know and I don't care" Alexander said, sitting by her side and taking one of her delicate and small hands in his.

"Well, don't tell me that this is not strange, you are barely apart one from the other" she said smiling but it disappeared as soon as she took a better look to Alexander's expression.

"Not anymore, he had taken a serious decision and I am going to take mine now" the blonde youth said plainly.

"I am listening, my prince" Megara said, leaving her handwork by her side.

"I have been thinking that we do not have to fake our engagement any more, I have realized that I have strong feelings for you and I would be truly honoured if you accept my proposal and promise of marriage in the future" Alexander spoke quickly without breathing in between.

"Are you sure, Alexander? Is this what you really want? Don't rush any decision because of a fight or a misunderstanding" Megara advised her friend.

"I know what I am doing, I am not a child!" he said loudly.

"There is no need to be so angry but I am thinking that it is quite change of heart, two months ago you were really smitten with Hephaestion and now you don't even care about him. I am not like the rest of the women, I do not need a man by my side to feel complete, I am quite well on my own. If, and that is a very big if, I ever think about getting married, I will want a true marriage and I will not tolerate a husband who is comfortable taking mistresses or lovers because he is bored and not totally satisfied" the red haired young woman stated clearly.

"That is one of the things I like about you, Megara, you are always ready to speak your mind, without having fear of being punished or told off because of your words" Alexander said and smiled, the first true smile she had seen in his face in the last week or so.

"So, in the case I accept your proposal, you have to agree to one or two of my terms" Megara said seriously, trying to see if Alexander was truly listening to her.

"Well, tell me what they are and we can discuss them before announcing our engagement" Alexander said but he was slightly distracted when he saw Hephaestion passing by in the distance.

Megara saw the quick look Alexander threw towards the brunette, his eyes were feasting on the gorgeous young man, who had not seen the couple speaking. Alexander opened and closed his fists repeatedly, as if by doing that, he could stop his desire of grabbing his cyan eyed lover and take him somewhere else. Megara saw all the signs and she instantly realized that Alexander was still in love with Hephaestion; it was impossible for the prince to hide his love for his brunette as it was impossible to cover the sun with a finger. What he wanted to do, she could not really understand but she did realize that he was not true to his heart.

She took a deep breath and sighed lowly. Alexander came back from his day dreaming and masking his pain and distress; he looked at Megara and smiled at her. The young maiden smiled back and made up her mind. She would accept the prince's proposal but only after her terms, without any further discussion of her conditions. She cleared her voice and started to speak her mind and wishes.

"I will accept your engagement proposal only under my terms; they are not negotiable, Alexander" Megara said plainly and seriously.

"What if I think they are too strict?" Alexander asked, more curious than before.

"If you do not agree to them, you still have five other maidens you can choose from or any other woman you may come across in the future; I am not planning to get married soon" she replied without taking her emerald eyes from the prince's two coloured eyes.

"Alright, tell me what they are" Alexander said, a tiny smile gracing his lips, as he was wondering what she would be asking for herself.

"First of all, I do not appreciate public displays of affection; I think they should be only shared in the intimacy of a room, away from curious and envious eyes; I could accept a loose handholding or walking arm in arm but no further. I would not have any kind of sexual intercourse or any kind of activity or caresses that may lead to it until we are married, however I will not ban you from getting them if you are totally discrete; of course these extra marital activities will cease as soon as we are married. Lastly but not least important, if by the time of the marriage, in the next four or five years, I don't feel comfortable with you or the idea of marriage, I can cancel the wedding without any further explanation that the one I have already given" Megara said slowly so Alexander did not have any doubt of what she had been saying.

"You really have a lot of conditions, Megara. Are you playing hard to get or it is just me the one who provokes this in you?" Alexander asked laughing but he suddenly stopped when he saw the serious expression in the young woman's face.

"Any of them, my prince. Those are my conditions, do you accept them or not? I really would appreciate a quick answer here" she said plainly.

"I do accept your conditions, Megara. So do you accept my engagement and later marriage proposal?" the prince asked with a serious voice.

"Yes, I do, Alexander" Megara was saying when a loud gasp could be listened behind some rose bushes.

"Who is there hidden? Step outside and do not try anything as I am armed" Alexander said, putting his hand onto the hilt of his kopis.

"It is me, my prince" Hephaestion said, stepping from behind the plants and with his head hanging onto his chest.

"Don't you see I am busy, Hephaestion! What do you need?" Alexander asked, wondering if the brunette had listened to his proposal.

"The Queen wants to talk to you and she commanded me to look for you" the blue eyed young boy said with a thread of voice. Megara realized that he was trying to keep his tears unshed, what she could not guess if they were tears of pain or anger.

"Well you have found me, go and tell her that I will be speaking to her as soon as I finish talking with my beloved" he said, knowing that his words would not affect the brunette who had so quickly renounced to his love.

"Of course, my prince. Megara" Hephaestion said and slightly bowed to the other two and the red haired girl felt her heart heavy because she had hurt the noble and faithful brunette.

"Why are you treating Hephaestion so badly, Alexander? That was really mean of you" Megara said angrily because she would not tolerate that behaviour in her beloved.

Alexander looked at her and blushed deeply, knowing that he had acted badly, he had wanted to hurt Hephaestion for leaving him without even fighting for their love, but in the end, he realized that he was also hurting himself too.

* * *

Megara came back from her memories and sighed deeply. Two weeks had gone by since that nasty moment and she had not seen any improvement in the young boys' behaviour to each other. Hephaestion, with each passing day, was even more withdrawn and he was also the target of all the jokes, especially from Cassander who was always reminding him of his current situation and asking him how he would do to cope with the situation now that he had fallen from grace with the royal prince.

Hephaestion only looked at his detractor and remained in silence. Megara wanted to intervene and speak in favour of the brunette but she also knew that that was not her place, Alexander was the one who should prohibit Cassander to laugh at Hephaestion but the blonde boy did nothing to stop the jokes and insults.

So the brunette got every day quieter and lonelier until one day he did not show up for breakfast or even his morning classes. Nobody realized of his absence until Megara asked for him during lunchtime. Alexander lifted his head so quickly that the red haired girl thought he would snap his neck with the rapid movement; he immediately asked one of the kitchen pages to go to Hephaestion's chamber and see if he was there.

Some minutes later, the page came back and he approached the prince, telling him what he had found. Hephaestion was still in bed but he looked as if he was running a high fever because his full body was shaking. Megara also listened to the news and she immediately remembered what she had been said about Hephaestion's strange disease he had had some years ago and how he had been at the point of death.

She immediately stood up and asked the page to go back to the kitchen and bring a bowl with fresh water and some cloth and to take it to the brunette's room. She was about to go when she felt a hand grasping her wrist firmly. She looked at her wrist and then to the owner of the hand, throwing a cold look at him. Alexander immediately released her wrist but did not make another move; if he wanted to remain alive, he would not follow her to Hephaestion's room. She would not tolerate anyone dictating her actions, royal betrothed or not.

Megara knocked gently onto the wood door and when she did not get an answer, she entered the room and walked towards the bed. The brunette was still shivering and his forehead was burning. A moment later, the page entered the room carrying what he had been asked and left the place immediately. Megara dipped the cloth in the fresh water and proceeded to refresh the clammy skin. She repeated the same action many times until she felt that the skin was getting a bit fresher. She was about to set the cloth over the brunette's eyes when that said young boy opened his eyes, that were reddish due to the fever, but that could easily distinguish who was with him in the room.

He sat in one quick movement, the cloth falling onto his bare chest, and he opened his mouth to speak but his throat was really parched. She offered him a glass of fresh water and he took some sips to wet his throat. He cleared his voice and said reverently.

"You shouldn't be here"

"Why not? You are my friend and I am just taking care of you because you are running a high fever" she answered while taking the forgotten cloth from his lap and putting it inside the bowl. She then took it out, wringed it a bit and made the brunette lay on his back once again so she could put the cloth over his eyes.

"I really don't need Alexander to get angry with me" Hephaestion confessed in a whisper.

"Why would he get mad at you? For being ill?" she asked confused.

"Because you are here tending to me and you are his beloved" he said in a low voice.

"I can be that but he is not my owner and you are my friend and I am really worried about you. You have not been yourself since last month and you have been a bit careless with your health" she said while patting his hand amorously.

"I beg for your forgiveness, you should not worry about me" Hephaestion said totally embarrassed.

"I will worry all I want about you, you are my friend and that stupid prince is behaving as a spoiled brat with you" she said.

"Please, watch your mouth, if the queen hears you badmouthing Alexander, she can send you to be flogged" Hephaestion said, feeling terrified at the idea.

"Thanks for the advice but it does not hide the truth behind his behaviour" she said, standing up.

"I will come back with some broth and don't dare to deny my help" she said smiling, kissing the brunette's forehead.

Megara went back to the table and Alexander asked her how Hephaestion was doing. She looked at him and simply answered that if he wanted to know, he should check by himself, especially because Hephaestion was his best friend. Alexander remained in silence for the rest of the meal.

* * *

Two days later, Alexander and Megara officially announced their engagement and they celebrated it with a small banquet with the presence of all the companions, the queen, the king and Aristotle.

Three days later, the young brunette took a new decision, he was ready to get his strong and stubborn attitude towards life back so Hephaestion asked permission to visit his parents on their farmhouse; what he did not say was that he was thinking about not coming back to Mieza again, he had realized that the only way to get his life back was by being away from the prince.


	18. Day 17

_**Day Seventeen: The perfect suitor.**_

Hephaestion arrived to the farmhouse by midday; his parents were about to sit to have lunch when they listened to the horse's steps and their abrupt halt by their house. Lady Amyntoros stood up and was heading towards the door when it was opened with a quick movement. The doorframe was suddenly filled with the shape of a tall but thin young man; the light entering through the door did not let her see who the person was, keeping the tall frame in shadows. She was about to call her husband when the door was closed behind the man and she could clearly see that that young man was her dearest son Hephaestion. She ran towards him and hugged him tightly, burying her head in the strong chest. The young man leaned over her, set his chin over his mother's head and hugged her back, sighing loudly because he was safely back at home.

As he did not listen to anything, Amyntas decided to go and see what was keeping his wife from coming back and when he entered the hall, he saw his youngest son hugging his mother as if she were his anchor to the world. He waited by the door until his son lifted his head and smiled at him but the smile that graced his face was so sad that the General thought that something terrible had happened to him. He was not supposed to be home for another six months but he would not complaint about it as he missed his son dearly.

"Joy to you, my son" the man said, patting the youth's shoulder.

"Joy to you, papa" he answered and the use of that address from his childhood confirmed the man's suspicion.

"Let's get inside and have some lunch with us" lady Amyntoros said and she started to walk with his son still hugging her.

The old warrior looked at that image and he knew that something had happened, his son was sixteen years old and he had not allowed his mother to hug him like that since he was ten years more or less. He also noticed that he was a bit thinner than before but he had still kept his gained muscles. He seemed to be well physically but he realized that his ailment was more connected to his heart and soul than to his body this time.

They shared their meal and they spoke about everything that had happened in the farm but when Hephaestion had dodged once more their questions about Alexander and their studies, even his mother started to suspect. With a silent signal between both parents, they stopped asking Hephaestion about Mieza, knowing that their son would tell them when he was ready and it seemed to them that it was going to take him quite a long time to open up to them again.

That day was spent quietly and Hephaestion retreated to his own chamber to rest, saying that the travel had tired him a bit. His parents knew that that could not be true as the young man had been exercising for some years and they knew that the training for soldier's duty was extremely exigent and demanding and he had never protested about its hardness before.

Even Sotiris looked worried; her yellowish eyes had been following her master around the house the whole time. After the young man had retired to this room, the she wolf had looked for lady Amyntoros and set her heavy head onto the woman's lap and she had whined, looking towards Hephaestion's room as if she wanted to warn them that something was wrong with her master.

The old woman sighed deeply, knowing that his son was suffering and that everything had to do with the golden prince. Nothing or nobody affected her son's behaviour and mood more than Alexander did.

The following five days went by slowly and Hephaestion looked more and more comfortable, even happier, not showing any of the symptoms he had shown before when he was staying many days away from Alexander. His face looked more relaxed and his mood a bit more relaxed than in his first day there. However, it was the nighttime that brought sadness to his face and heart, becoming more and more quiet while both parents still waited for Hephaestion to talk to them, telling them what was making him suffer and feel so sad.

On the seventh morning there, Hephaestion was still wandering inside the house when he heard a horse and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. He immediately thought that his Alexander had come to get him and take him back to Mieza and the brunette was almost sure that the blonde prince would confess that he was not able to live another day without him by his side. However, when he stepped out of the house to see if he was right, he saw his mother talking to a stranger. His heart fell to his feet; it seemed that his Alexander did not miss him at all and he was not going to come to fetch him.

The stranger felt a presence by the door house and stopped, in the middle of his conversation with the lady of the house, to look at the gorgeous young man standing by the door. The young visitor could not utter another word; he could only look at Hephaestion in astonishment; he had never seen such a handsome young man before and he had travelled to too many places during his business trips. He tried to speak again but he realized that his throat had instantly dried. Lady Amyntoros smiled to herself and asked Hephaestion for a glass of fresh water for their visitor. Maybe this young man might bring a bit of entertainment to her sad son. If she was lucky, this stranger could make his son smile again.

Hephaestion came back with the glass of water and got closer to the man. While walking towards him, he looked at the man and he discovered that he was younger than he had thought before, his eyes were grey and had an almond shape with long and dark eyelashes that gave them a depth that he wanted to explore. Hephaestion froze in the spot and wondered when he had thought like that about men's eyes before when it had always been Alexander's body the one he had seen or appreciated in that way. He felt confused but at the same time, more animated than he had been feeling lately.

Lady Amyntoros saw Hephaestion's uncertainty so she encouraged him to bring the glass, explaining that the young man was not feeling well and that he had come to her looking for some healing herbs. Hephaestion walked quickly towards the young man and handed him the glass, apologizing for his delay. The man, whose name was Theron, looked at Hephaestion with big puppy eyes and his behaviour in front of the young man did not coincide at all with the meaning of "untamed" his name had.

"Thanks and joy to you" the man said when he was able to articulate his words again.

"You are welcome, my name is Hephaestion, son of Amyntoros" the blue eyed youth said, blushing slightly because the man in front of him was staring at him … again.

"I am Theron, son of Kostas. May I say that you have the most peculiar shade of blue in your eyes that I have ever seen?" the man said seriously, without taking his eyes from the brunette's face.

"Thanks but I don't see how peculiar their shade is as my father's eyes have the same colour" Hephaestion explained, trying to belittle the praise.

"No Hephaestion, they are not the same blue; I have always thought that Hephaestion's eyes are two waves of the Aegean Sea, gifted by Poseidon himself at his birth" lady Amyntoros said proudly.

"I am sure that any man would go into battle happily if they knew that their reward would be that kind of remarkable jewels. I am sure that I will" Theron said staring at Hephaestion as if he was the only one person in the world.

Hephaestion blushed deeply and excused himself, saying that he had some chores to do around the farm. However, he went directly to his room and sat on the stool there, thinking about the man who was still outside and how he had made his heart jump with his flattery. He could not understand how he was feeling and he also felt guilty because he was cheating on Alexander but he suddenly remembered that he had pushed the prince away from him and that Alexander was engaged to Megara and he was happy with her, according to his own words. Maybe, if the merchant stayed long, he could give Theron a chance and see where things would go from there.

And that was what he did.

* * *

The following morning, Hephaestion got up and went to the kitchen to have breakfast and he found Theron eating the morning meal with his parents. They greeted each other and Hephaestion sat opposite him. The young man had dark circles around his eyes and his general state seemed to be worse than the previous day. He tried to eat his morning meal but it seemed as if every bite was a titanic effort for the sick man.

Lady Amyntoros explained that a strange snake in India had bitten Theron and even though an Indian healer had treated him there, he had not been feeling well lately. He was travelling back home when he realized that the medicines he had been given were not having any effects on him anymore. Six days before, he had stopped to ask for some water and seeing the condition he was in, one of the Amyntoros's neighbours had told him about lady Amyntoros's expertise with healing herbs so he had decided to stop and ask for her help on his way home.

Hephaestion saw that his countenance was truly pale due to the concoction he was drinking with his solid food. Theron was making a great effort not to bring out the whole pot, the taste was horrible and the smell was bad too. His eyes were shedding some unwanted tears and his lips turned down frequently with every sip he took of the horrible concoction. However, lady Amyntoros had assured him that that medicine would fight back any trace of venom in his blood and so the man was doing his best to empty the big bowl.

Breakfast was over and the family went to do their normal chores while their visitor had decided to stay inside as his eyes were a bit sensitive to the sun light. An hour later, Hephaestion found Theron passed out in the middle of the hall and, not knowing what to do; he took him to his chamber and laid him on his bed.

As soon as the man felt a soft surface beneath him, he curled up into a tight ball, his hands clutching his stomach tightly, and murmuring unintelligible words, in a foreign language that the brunette could not understand at all. Hephaestion was about to leave the man there to call his mother when Theron grabbed Hephaestion's wrist firmly and cradled it against his chest. The young brunette did not have another option than to sit on the cot next to him and wait until he released his hand. Minutes went by and the pressure in his hand increased as well as the pain in Theron's stomach.

Hephaestion remembered that his mother used to massage his lower back whenever he had cramps or stomach-ache so he began caressing Theron's back with circular movements that seemed to have a soothing effect on the man. Some minutes later, the young merchant stretched his legs and sighing loudly, he fell into a deep and calm sleep.

* * *

Three days later, Theron was feeling much better, because not only his pain and cramps were almost gone but also because Hephaestion was keeping him company during all the time he was awake. Both young men had found points of common interest so it was easy for them to be sharing information about those topics, Theron, in a more practical way as he had lived and experienced many things during his travels while Hephaestion contributed with his more erudite knowledge and more reasonable explanations. Their long conversations were carried out in the merchant's room and no one in the house had thought badly about the fact that those two young men were spending so much time together while one of them was forced to be in bed all the time.

* * *

Twenty days had gone by since the arrival of Hephaestion to this family house and twelve days since the arrival of Theron. However, for the inhabitants of the house it seemed as if they had known the young merchant for a long time. They all felt comfortable with his presence and he was extremely polite and always ready to offer his help in what he could do around the house.

Lady Amyntoros and her husband saw Hephaestion flourish under the loving presence and attention of Theron. They had already suspected that the young merchant was head over heels with their son and that sooner than later, he would be asking for their permission to court him properly.

They had always thought that Hephaestion and Alexander would become a couple after they had received the news that the boys were together but something serious must have happened for Hephaestion to decide to come back home and never show any sign of going back to school. However, if Theron asked for their permission, they would not deny it because he was the perfect suitor for their son, but only taking into account Hephaestion's own decision on the matter. They did know that no one could force anyone to love them.

* * *

One evening, a week after his almost full recovery, before their last meal of the day and while Hephaestion was tending to Dione after a long ride, Theron asked Amyntas and his wife if he could court Hephaestion. He told them that even though they had known each other for a short time, his intentions towards the brunette were more than serious, that he had always been attracted to men but that he was also very shy to show his feelings. He also told them that he had enough money to give Hephaestion everything he wanted and that he was ready to settle down if that was Hephaestion's wish.

The Amyntoros couple saw the truth in those grey eyes and granted him their permission to court their son. However, there was only one condition, Hephaestion was the only one who would decide if he wanted a relationship with him or not and his decision would be respected by both his parents and Theron, no matter if the answer was positive or not. Theron agreed to that term and asked if he could ask Hephaestion before having their evening meal. They agreed to that and also told him not to worry about their meal with them, if things took longer, she could warm the food later when they were ready.

Theron went to the stables in order to look for Hephaestion; he could not wait any longer to ask the brunette. He entered the place and walked towards the back part where he knew he was going to find them. And there they were, man and mare in a loving conversation; the brunette was brushing the dark chocolate coat of fur while the mare nipped his nape and shoulders tenderly. Theron stopped one or two metres before so he could listen to what Hephaestion was telling to his horse. He was praising her for such a lovely ride and he was also telling how he was planning to make her been served by one of his father's stallions as soon as she was ready to have her own foals. The mare looked at him, as if she could understand the whole conversation and Hephaestion told her that, as he was planning not to go back to school in Mieza, she would be able to grow old and never die in the battlefield.

Theron was surprised, he did not know that Hephaestion was a soldier; he had only assumed that he was a student on holidays from school. He also thought that he had listened before that name of Mieza. Thinking a bit more, he remembered someone telling him that the best of the Macedonian nobles' offspring were studying next to Prince Alexander there.

At that moment, Theron could understand everything better. Hephaestion was one of those noble children studying next to the prince; he was also studying and practising to be a soldier, a brother in arms with the best of the Macedonian families and to serve under the prince and future king.

He shook his head as if he could erase any bad idea in it and decided to ask his question anyway, knowing that a negative answer was probably the one he was going to get. However, he was decided to ask because if he did not do it, he would always regret and would be always wondering what the answer could have been. The question had been wandering around his head and heart for the last twenty days, since the very first moment his tired and sick grey eyes had set onto those amazing cerulean ones. He might not be brought up to be a soldier but he was no coward.

He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, approached the brunette and clearing his voice, he let the young man know he was there. Hephaestion turned round to greet him and he immediately blushed; Theron thought that that was a good omen.

Hephaestion invited him to sit onto a high pile of hay and wait for him until he finished with his work. Theron waited patiently, looking at the economic and efficient movements of the brunette, and in a moment, he wanted so badly to be Dione so he could feel the brunette's hands on him, taking care of his needs or caressing his body as he was doing to the mare.

The young merchant also thought that if he played his cards well, he would be enjoying more than the brunette's hands on him and he was really looking forward to having that precious gift for himself.

When the brushing and feeding was finally over, Theron invited Hephaestion to walk for a while so he could exercise his legs too; he was doing much better and he could almost feel his life energy back but he still got winded when he moved too fast or for a long time.

Hephaestion accepted the invitation and guided him to his mother's garden where they would be able to walk in peace and be safe at the same time. He also wanted to be sure that Theron could find a seat whenever he felt his strength abandoning him. He internally blushed because he was having more and more thoughts about Theron and he realized he really cared about the young man. He also realized that he did not know what to do with all those new feelings that were invading his heart little by little.

After a long time walking and talking about their day, Theron took Hephaestion to a loveseat the brunette's father had made for his mother and asked Hephaestion to sit there because he wanted to ask him a serious question. The brunette agreed but he could not hide he was feeling quite nervous. However, as he had found out that he liked Theron, he also thought he was ready to go further if the occasion arose.

"Hephaestion, I am good with words only for selling my goods but I do not know those nice and pretty words that a man should know to praise someone about their good looks and their virtues. However, I will try to do my best because I have wanted to tell you that I feel very attracted to you and that it would be an honour for me if you let me court you. My intentions are serious, I am a wealthy and honourable merchant, I can give you anything you want or need and even though I never thought about settling down in one place, I am ready to do that if that is your wish" the young man said, repeating the same words he had already told Hephaestion's parents.

Hephaestion remained silent for a while and then, lifting his sky-blue eyes, he replied while blushing deeply:

"I truly appreciate your offer and I gladly accept it"

Theron looked at Hephaestion and smiled widely, he had never thought Hephaestion would accept him, and less so quickly. He leaned over the younger man and brushed his lips against his. He stopped almost immediately because he did not want Hephaestion to feel pressured at all. He wanted to do so much more but he knew he would have to be patient.

The brunette let his head fall onto his chest and sighed deeply. Theron did not understand why the younger man had done that but he could assume that he was still nervous.

"Can I ask you something, Hephaestion?" Theron asked gently.

"Of course" he said, lifting his face to find those grey eyes looking at him.

"Have you ever been in a relationship before?" the merchant asked but internally he did not want to know the answer.

"Yes, I have" he answered in a whisper.

"Was he a man?" he asked again, sensing the positive answer.

"Yes, he was" Hephaestion replied.

"Was he your erastes?" Theron asked, knowing that the practice was still very common among soldiers.

"No, he wasn't. He is my own age, in fact some months younger" Hephaestion said plainly.

"Who was he? And why did you break up?" he decided to be bold and asked what he really wanted to know.

Hephaestion looked at him, thinking how that piece of news could affect his new relationship. Sensing his reluctance to answer, Theron was going to ask him not to say anything he was not comfortable about when Hephaestion replied plainly:

"He was prince Alexander and he got engaged to my friend Megara"

"Do you still love him?" Theron asked.

"I will always love him but I knew that he would never be totally mine, that is why I let him go without a fight when the time came" he sincerely answered, but still hiding a white lie.

"I might not be a prince but I can love you as much as he did" Theron replied, taking Hephaestion's hand between his.

"I know and I think that, with time, I can love you too" Hephaestion replied and then he leaned forward and kissed Theron's lips, without any regret.


	19. Day 18

_**Day Eighteen: The confrontation.**_

Hephaestion and Theron had begun a very healthy routine that allowed them to exercise, on Theron's part and to do some chores around the farm, on Hephaestion's side. They shared the morning meal with Hephaestion's parents and then they would start with that routine, that included tending to the horses, feeding some of the animals, take long walks and look for things to do and finally enjoying a long dip in the river for Hephaestion and some sunbathing for Theron, who was not still fully recovered.

Lady Amyntoros was happy about them, Hephaestion had recovered his smile and happiness and Theron was slowly recovering his health. On the other hand, even though he was happy for him, Amyntas felt that Hephaestion was not keeping his word towards king Philip. He decided to talk to his son later that day.

Hephaestion was washing his face and arms before having lunch when he felt a pair of thin arms around his slender waist. For a moment he thought it was Alexander hugging him but then he noticed the differences, the arms were too much thinner, the chest was not so broad and the smell was wrong. He had to fight to hold his tears and he solved the problem by splashing some more water over his face. Theron kissed his shoulder gently and let his chin rest on his shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" he asked a bit worried, he had seen Hephaestion flinch at his touch before.

"Yes, of course" he said and turning round in the merchant's arms, he pecked his lips softly.

"You know you can tell me anything" Theron said confidently.

"I know, I was just thinking that I have to write a letter to Master Aristotle" the brunette said, drying his arms and face.

"Why do you have to do that?" Theron asked, a bit defensively.

"Because I want to do it, he had been my teacher for many years and I really miss him" Hephaestion replied sharply, he did not like having to give explanations about his things to anyone, not anymore.

"You can write to him after our evening walk" the man said, trying to soothe the agitated youth.

"I will do it tonight, before going to bed" he answered plainly, no one was going to plan his activities either.

"Your father wanted to talk to you, he sent me here to fetch you. Is there any problem?" Theron said, drowning in his boyfriend's blue eyes.

"No that I know about. Why do you ask?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"Because he sounded quite serious" Theron explained.

"I will know about it soon" Hephaestion said, leaving the dirty chiton inside a basket.

Both men went back to the house and lady Amyntoros told Hephaestion that his father was waiting for him in the garden. Hephaestion looked at her astonished, the conversation had to be serious if his father was taking the time to sit and talk to him.

As soon as the brunette entered the garden, he could see his father already sat on the bench with his arms resting over his legs. The old warrior lifted his gaze and smiled, just a tiny smile but that made Hephaestion feel a bit less anxious. He sat next to him and waited until his father started to talk.

"Son, I am really happy that you have found happiness with Theron, however, I know that something serious happened at Mieza, but running away from the problems is for coward people and I know you are not that. I have been waiting for you to come and explain me why you have taken the decision of not going back to school but as you remained in silence, I have to ask you now , with all the respect your decision deserves" the old warrior asked seriously.

"I know that I owe you an explanation, father and even though it is quite embarrassing for me, I will tell you what happened between Alexander and me" Hephaestion told him.

Father and son talked for hours; Hephaestion retelling his father everything since the very beginning. He told him about Olympias's plot, he also spoke favourably on behalf of Megara, the red haired young maiden that had wanted to help them. Hephaestion confessed his fears and how he knew that he would never have Alexander and that he was lying to himself every time he thought he would. He also added his decision of letting him go before his love got deeper, without considering that his love was already attached to his heart so deeply that he had felt his heart break in halves when he left Alexander behind.

Amyntas listened to him carefully; in a moment, after Hephaestion's latest confession, he made his son stop his talk and asked him if he was aware of the things he had been saying. Hephaestion looked at himwith a puzzled expression in his face. After some silent minutes, Amyntas asked him if he had not realized that he was still in love with Alexander and how that could affect his relationship with Theron if the merchant decided to take it to a more serious level. Hephaestion looked at this father with frantic eyes, he had never realized, until that moment, that he still loved Alexander so deeply and that he was not being loyal to Theron while still feeling like that for the prince. He knew he could love Theron but he would always be in love with Alexander.

Amyntas suggested Hephaestion to take his time and think for a suitable solution for all the people involved in the mess he had created. He also added that he needed to give a very logical and reasonable explanation to king Philip if he was to abandon his studies in Mieza, after being chosen for that by the king himself and adding to that that the king had kept his place there at the school while he had been ill.

In his longing for some peace, Hephaestion had truly forgotten the remarkable position he had been granted by the Macedonian king and how, in his impulsive decision of leaving everything behind, he had not taken into consideration any of that. He decided that he would write to both the king and his master to explain his current situation and the facts that led to his final decision.

What Hephaestion did not know was that the decision would be taken from his hands sooner than he had expected.

A commotion outside the farmhouse made the two men run towards it. As soon as they arrive, they saw a group of five young boys with a blonde one in front of them, they were all wearing Philip's colours so they all assumed that the visit was an official one.

Amyntas stepped in front of his wife, his son and his son's suitor and looked at the young man that was dismounting from the black war horse called Bucephalus, the very same horse the rider had tamed when he was just a child.

The young blonde approached the old man and saluted the General reverently and then threw himself into his arms, hugging him tightly. The young man saw, over the General's shoulder, his Hephaestion and a man who was standing too close to him and with an arm around the slender waist. He closed his eyes tightly and released the embrace.

"Joy to you, General" the blonde greeted.

"Joy to you, my prince" the old man greeted back.

"Lady Amyntoros, it's been a long time since we saw each other" Alexander said while approaching the woman.

"That is right, my prince. May I say that you have turned into a fine man?" she said, bowing her head just a little.

"It is just Alexander, for you, always. May I say that the gods had favoured you with beauty and health?" Alexander said, accepting the gentle embrace.

"Joy to you, Alexander" Hephaestion said, he could no longer wait to know what he was doing there.

"Joy to you, Hephaestion. I hope you are doing well" he said between his clenched teeth. And setting his two coloured eyes onto Theron, he said:

"I am sorry, but I do not know your name"

"He is Theron, son of Kostas, he is a Greek merchant who stopped by to get some healing herbs for an illness he got in India" lady Amyntoros said, introducing one man to the other.

"I am Alexander, son of Philip. You have stopped in the best place to get your medicines. I hope they are having the desired effect" the young man said plainly but without taking his eyes from the stranger who still had his arm around Hephaestion.

"Joy to you, Alexander. As regards the medicines, I am feeling much better; it also helps the company of this gorgeous man here" he said knowing that Alexander would answer in not a very polite way.

"I am sure of that, Hephaestion is the best life partner any man could wish to have by their side. Congratulations" Alexander replied, nearly in a whisper, and his eyes showed so much pain and regret in them that it saddened the presents.

"I think that congratulations are in order for you too, my dear. Hephaestion had only words of praise for your young lady" lady Amyntoros said, unaware of the awkward situation among the young men.

"Thanks, Megara is a wonderful person and she misses your son dearly" Alexander said, his words nearly choking him.

"Let's go inside and have some refreshments. Tell your guards to go to the garden and the pages will take them something to drink too" lady Amyntoros said happily.

On their way to the house, Alexander approached Hephaestion who quickly got far from Theron's side, and asked him if he could have a word with him after their refreshments. Hephaestion nodded, blushing deeply and hoping that Alexander could not listen to his rapid heartbeat. Theron threw a worried look towards his beloved but did not say a thing about what he had just seen. They would be having some words when the prince was gone.

Nobody ever knew what blonde and brunette talked for those three hours; the only thing everybody knew was that they exchanged shouts and insults, reproaches and excuses, half confessions and white lies …

They could see them pacing from one side to the other of the garden, Alexander, throwing his arms into the air and moving closer to his seated friend. When they saw the prince quiet, they supposed that the confrontation was over but they suddenly saw how Hephaestion stood up and standing in front of the now seated Alexander, he started to speak so lowly that they could not even hear him whispering. They also saw how Alexander looked at Hephaestion steadily, as if he wanted to absorb every and each of the words falling from the brunette's pinkish lips and they also saw how the prince let his head hang over his chest and messed his hair with frantic hands. Silence reigned for long moments and it seemed as if the very same earth had stopped its movements.

Everybody inside the house was very nervous; they remained in silence or making small talk among them when all they really wanted to know was what the big discussion was about.

Lady Amyntoros looked at Theron, who was chewing his lower lip frantically. The young merchant realized what was going to happen as soon as he had seen Alexander dismount, he was going to lose his Hephaestion to the prince but if he really thought further and coldly, he would realize that he had never truly had him. He knew that Hephaestion truly appreciated him; he was sure that the young brunette had been sincere about his affection for him but the young merchant realized that he would never be for Hephaestion what Alexander was and had always been for him.

The young merchant stood up and headed slowly towards the room where he was staying. He sighed deeply and he packed all his few belongings. After that, when he had checked that he was not missing anything, he sat at the table by the small window and taking a scroll from his saddle bag, he wrote a long letter to Hephaestion, in which he explained why he had to leave him but that he would always have him in his heart. He also added that if, by any chance, he needed his help, he should never hesitate in asking for it; he added a contact address in case he was in one of his trips around the known world.

With regret and feeling deeply sad, Theron sealed the letter and entering Hephaestion's room, he left it onto the bed, after caressing the pillow where his brunette sued to rest his head at night. When he looked around the room, as if he wanted to take the image of the room and its inhabitant with him, he let his grey eyes fall on the night table. And he saw something that confirmed him he had taken the right decision; between the pages of a well thumbed copy, just sticking out of the book, there was a small drawing of Alexander's face and the artist was no one else that the same Hephaestion. The artist had been skilful enough to draw the beauty of the young prince but Theron also realized that that skill was also led by the deep love the artist fell for the object of his affection and contemplation.

He went back to the kitchen, satchel bag in hand, and saw Hephaestion's parents looking through an open window to the two young men who were still in the middle of their big discussion.

In a moment, they were quite expectant and nervous when they saw Alexander grabbing Hephaestion by his forearms and making him fall against his chest. Both young men looked into each other's eyes and then Alexander leaned over slowly and took Hephaestion's lips into a quick and gentle kiss, it was so subtle that it seemed more a peck than a kiss. When the young blond was retreating, Hephaestion wrapped his arms around Alexander's neck and pecked him back as his heart was telling him to do it.

A loud gasp made both parents turn round and they saw Theron standing there, looking at the young men who were no longer kissing but had their foreheads resting onto the other's. even though Theron had taken his decision, it was painful to see them like that.

However, his suffering lasted nothing. Minutes later, Hephaestion started to walk towards the house, holding a scroll in his hand, while Alexander walked towards the garden. They could all see the prince fetched his horse and guards and he left the house with a longing look in his eyes and a sad smile in his lips.

Hephaestion entered the house and found Theron waiting for him. He immediately knew that the young merchant had seen him, especially when he saw that Theron's belongings were already packed by his feet.

Hephaestion asked him to follow and both young men talked for a while in lady Amyntoros's garden. Hephaestion explained how confused his heart was and that he had never had the intention of hurting him because, in the short time they had been together, he had learnt to appreciate him a lot. Theron listened to him without interrupting and he smiled when the brunette ended his heated and hurried apology. Hephaestion was a bit surprised when he saw the tiny smile gracing the merchant's lips but after listening to him, he realized that the man had already suspected what was going on and that he had been quicker than him at seeing what he had been trying to hide, even from himself.

After sorting out their problems, the merchant left the house with a big packet of healing herbs and a broken heart, but knowing that he would always be welcome in the farmhouse where he had found, at least, his health back.

Hephaestion entered the house after seeing Theron off and the young blue-eyed man remained silent for the rest of the night. He did not discuss with his parents about Theron's departure; he knew that his parents had already realized the reason behind it. He was sure that his father had shared with his mother the conversation they had already had in the garden and how he had, unconsciously, confessed that he was still in love with the blonde prince.

However, before going to sleep, he announced that he was going back to Mieza as he had been summoned by king Philip. His departure had to be soon as difficult tasks would be falling onto his young shoulders rapidly.

Amyntas was really worried; it was uncommon for the king to summon someone to his presence, especially that someone was neither a soldier yet nor a diplomat at his service but Hephaestion told him that there was nothing to worry about. He proceeded to reveal the contents of the scroll Alexander had given him before his departure.

The king wanted Aristotle to instruct him in the art of the diplomacy as he was the only one of the companions who could already speak three languages and had a natural talent to learn any language he came across in a short time. He had also seen the calm and observant behaviour he had showed in difficult times and he knew he would be able to trust him as he had done it with his father and brothers.

Both parents breathed deeply and even though they would feel sad when they saw their youngest son depart, they realised that the bright future that lady Amyntoros had predicted for her son on the very same day of his birth had already started to come true.


	20. Day 19

_**A/N: Hello everybody! sorry for the delay in posting but I had some serious issues related to my health and underwent two surgeries in the last months. I hope that I can catch up with the reviews and the fabulous stories some of you had already written. Have a nice week!**_

* * *

_**Day Nineteen: Diplomacy and Truth.**_

The situation between the two young men was still a bit tense; Alexander could not believe that his Hephaestion had taken a suitor soon after he had left him and Hephaestion could not believe that Alexander had claimed him even though he was still engaged to Megara.

No matter how awkward the situation was, Hephaestion had put all his former opinions behind and set his mind in his new and bright goal, learn as much as he could about diplomacy so he could put his skills at the service of king Philip. The Macedonian king had seen his value again and he was not going to disappoint him, this was the third time that the king had done something to favour him and he did not want this to be his last chance. So his time was fully dedicated to study the customs and languages of the peoples that had relationships with their kingdom as well as their histories, their strong points as well as their weaknesses. He spent the whole day studying and researching, except when he had his military training; the king had insisted that he should not leave that training because, even though his mind was strong, he also needed a strong body to accompany that witty mind.

Hephaestion did not waste his time, when he was not training, he was studying or talking to people who might have a direct knowledge about what he was learning. He remembered some of the things that Theron had told him about many things he had lived during his travels and he wrote them down to have them at hand if he was in need of them.

The companions looked at him in many different ways, some with envy and others with happiness but only one with longing. Ptolemy had approached Hephaestion in several occasions to see how he was doing and to offer his help; everybody knew that the elder blonde was a well-read person and that his memory was nearly as good as Hephaestion's. He was always ready to listen to the brunette's newest discoveries and he enjoyed seeing the spark in those cyan eyes whenever he retold them.

Cassander, on one hand, was deeply worried. Hephaestion had not only came back to Mieza but also he had gained a more important position that the rest of them, in spite of being no longer Alexander's partner. Parmenion was fuming because the brunette had achieved what he had intended his son to get for him but his son had failed royally in every single thing he had asked him to get. He had let Cassander know that he should start having a more solid friendship with Hephaestion as the young man was shaping up as an important man in the Macedonian court, especially if he counted with the king's support.

Alexander, on the other hand, did not know how to act when Hephaestion was around. He knew what his heart wanted to do but his mind had alerted him many times that what he wanted was no longer desired by the brunette or that it was unacceptable for an engaged man. Therefore, the young blonde man resigned himself to look at his former beloved entering and going out of rooms, following him with his two coloured eyes full of love and desire. Luckily, no one had ever seen him looking at Hephaestion like that, except Megara who was so in tune with Alexander's feelings towards the brunette, that she let herself smile whenever she caught that longing look.

* * *

One evening Hephaestion was reading, comfortably seated on a patch of grass and surrounded by numerous scrolls, when he listened to the faint sound of light footsteps. At first he thought that Alexander had finally decided to ambush him but then he realized that they did not belong to a man, the shoes were just not heavy enough. He lifted his gaze but his hand was still on his waist, near the place where he had his dagger hidden. He immediately knew who his guest was. Megara got closer to him and let herself fall onto the grass next to him. Hephaestion, always the gentleman, took his cloak and offered it to her so she could sit on it in order to prevent her peplos to be stained. She was about to refuse but she thought it better, she really wanted to recover his friend and she would not start by refusing such polite gesture towards her.

"What can I do for you, Megara?" he asked, leaving aside the scroll he had been reading.

"I just needed to spend some time with a friend. Am I interrupting something serious?" she asked, pointing with her head to the forgotten scroll.

"Not at all and you already know that it is always a pleasure for me to talk with you" the polite young man replied.

"Really? You could have fooled me" Megara said with a tiny smirk in her pretty face.

"Why do you say that?" the brunette asked, already knowing the answer.

"Because you have been avoiding me for the last three months, since your return" she said, now seriously.

"I have not, the thing is that I had been quite busy with my new duties" Hephaestion answered quietly, hoping that his explanation could have convinced her.

"If you say so" she said, letting a long sigh escaped from her rosy lips.

"Well, tell me what you have been doing" Hephaestion asked, trying to drop the previous subject.

"Nice trick, I am sure that if you perfected this trick, you would soon become one of the best diplomats king Philip will ever have, except your father who is already the best, in my humble opinion" Megara said, knowing Hephaestion's weak spot for his father.

"How do you know that? You have never met my father" he asked curiously.

"I haven't but Alexander looks up to him so much and he always remembers your father with love and respect" the red haired young woman said.

"My father loves Alexander a lot. Did you know that he was present when Alexander was born?" he asked and a tiny smile appeared on his face when he remembered the story his father had told him about meeting the prince for the first time.

"I am worried about you, Hephaestion" the young girl said seriously.

"Why is that?" He asked with a puzzled expression in his handsome face.

"Because you look sad" she replied.

"I am not sad, just busy" he answered, trying to justify himself.

"You may be busy but you also drown so deep in your studies so that you don't have to face the reality that surrounds you" she said.

"And what is that I don't want to face, according to you?" he asked with a smirk in his face.

"Can I speak my mind freely?" she asked nearly in a whisper.

"Of course, apart from that, you have always done it, with or without my permission" Hephaestion said and a tiny smile appeared in his face.

"One more thing, do you promise that you will not speak until I finish?" Megara asked, trying to make him see that she was speaking seriously.

"I promise, go ahead" he answered knowing in advance that he would not like what she was going to tell him.

My dear friend Hephaestion, you don't want to accept that you are still in love with Alexander and that …." But she was rudely interrupted by an angry brunette.

"I am not in lo…." He had started to protest but he suddenly stopped when she slapped his face and he saw anger in his friend's emerald eyes.

"Alright, alright … I will shut up" he finally decided to let her speak.

"… and that he is still in love with you. You cannot imagine how he was when he discovered that you had accepted a suitor; he trashed his chamber to pieces; he did not eat or drink for two whole days and he started eating and drinking again because he passed out during a training and he got a nice bump in his forehead. When the anger was over; sadness and depression took him over and it was common to find him mooning over you and writing your name on any possible and available surface" she said.

Megara stopped to take a breath and she then continued telling him about that sad time.

"This whole thing continued for a week until master Aristotle talked to him. No one knows what they spoke in Alexander's room for hours but, from that day onwards, the prince changed his attitude and adopted this calmer behaviour, a bit too submissive for my liking" she finally stopped speaking and went silent.

Hephaestion looked at her with his eyes wide open, he could not believe that Alexander had lost his usual strong control over himself so badly; and even though it had been a hard time for the blonde prince, Hephaestion was happy that he had been able to provoke such strong feelings and reactions in the Macedonian heir.

Megara waited until Hephaestion lifted his head and she could see understanding in his cyan eyes. Not being able to wait much longer, she added with happiness and a broad smile in her freckled face.

"Alexander came back to life when he saw you here again; I think he had his doubts about you coming back. You certainly took some days to plan your return. He was standing outside his chamber, till the night sky had all his stars out, looking in your direction, before going to bed. He used to sigh loudly and whisper that he was afraid you would never come back to him" Megara said and she tried to express with her words all the pain and sorrow the young prince had suffered waiting for Hephaestion's return.

"I had to sort many things at home before coming back. Theron was still there and I did own him an explanation. Luckily he had already seen how things were and he made everything easier for me, explaining in a letter that as he would never be what Alexander was to me, he preferred to remain being friends. So he set me free so I could be with whom my heart loved best" Hephaestion explained and in that moment he realized that the only blind person had been himself.

"Just out of curiosity, if Alexander had not gone for you, would you have come back?" she asked staring at his friend's eyes knowing that those blue pools of heaven could not lie.

"He did not go to fetch me; I was summoned by the king to come back here and he just passed the message" Hephaestion said, blushing slightly because he did not believe any single word he was saying.

"And why did he deliver the message himself? Why didn't the king send a page with the news?" Megara asked innocently, knowing that she was cornering her friend with her questions.

"Because it was a delicate topic?" an embarrassed Hephaestion tried to ask but he knew he was failing royally.

"And who knew the importance of such message, especially if it was a secret?" Megara asked and Hephaestion believed that she could become a terrific interrogator.

Hephaestion remained in silence, he had wondered before about that same thing but he had always stopped when he always reached to the same conclusion: Alexander had gone to fetch him and he had used the king's summon as an excuse. The brunette sighed deeply and he realized that it was high time he saw things as they really were.

"Why are you telling me all this, Megara? Aren't you supposed to hate me as you are engaged to the prince and he is mooning over me?" Hephaestion asked, more confused than when they had started this weird conversation.

"I think that the sun and too much studying had burnt your head; I will never hate you, do you really think I am so petty?" Megara asked truly offended.

"But I don't understand you at all" the blue–eyed young man said with a puzzled expression in his eyes and face.

"Let me make myself clear, when I met you, I could so easily see the love you two had and shared and in order to help you, the three of us thought about a plan that would help to keep Olympias away and you two together. I really don't know what happened between you two but I could sense a change in your relationship and, in a moment, you decided to step aside and leave Alexander on his own" Megara said, expressing for the first time aloud her confusion.

"I felt that I was stealing from Alexander the possibility of having a family for real if I insisted on staying with him. I could not bear him being unhappy, he deserves so much …" the brunette explained and his friend Megara could begin to understand what the young man was saying, he had acted upon the most unselfish act of love and he had been misunderstood … by everyone.

"I now understand what you meant but you also deserve the best, you are the most caring and loyal person any human being could ask for, so why did you suppose you were not entitled to that same happiness you were so ready to deny yourself?" Megara asked softly, trying to make Hephaestion understand that he had the right to be happy too, especially if that happiness included a young blonde Macedonian prince who would kiss the floor he walked on just because.

"I will think about this in my journey to Troy" Hephaestion said sincerely.

"When are you leaving?" she asked anxiously.

"Tomorrow at dawn, I need to ride to the port and then I would be on a ship for some days until I reach the coast" Hephaestion explained and he could not hide his excitement.

"Will you be staying at the city of Troy?" she asked, trying to get as much information as possible, she already knew a certain person who would appreciate all the information she could get.

"No, I will be staying in a nearby city but I will visit the tombs of …" and he was interrupted.

" … of Achilles and Patroclus, did I guess it right?" she said, laughing loudly.

"Am I so predictable?" he asked smiling.

"Only when you are distracted. So my friend, I wish you a speed and safe trip and an excellent diplomatic mission. I know that you will do well" she said and pecked his lips tenderly, in a sisterly way, and Hephaestion realized that she had almost provoked the same reaction Theron's kisses had had on him, they were nice but they had never felt totally right.

"Thanks Megara for the conversation but especially for the company and know that I will always be there for you, whenever you need me" he said taking her small and delicate hands in his and helping her to stand up on her feet.

The young red haired woman gathered her things and went away. When she was about to exit the garden, she turned round and blew a kiss to the smiling but pensive brunette. She asked the gods to listen to her prays and to help those two lovers to get their love back.

* * *

The following morning, Hephaestion prepared himself for his first diplomatic mission, he wanted it to be a success, he had been preparing for it for many months and the moment of the truth had finally arrived.

He set off at dawn with the company of his two loyal friends, Dione and Sotiris. He was about to leave when a loud bark stopped his movements, the large Saraman was sitting next to Sotiris and looking at him as if he wanted to make him understand that he wanted to go with them. The brunette young man knelt by the dog and rubbing him behind his ears, he told him that he could not go with them because he needed to look after Alexander. Peritas looked back at him, with very sad puppy eyes, and he lain by his feet with his big head hidden between his front legs. A loud whine left the dog's mouth and with a final pat on his head, Hephaestion stood up.

Hephaestion mounted Dione and whistled long and loudly to let Sotiris know it was time to go. What he did not know was that a certain blonde was watching him from his hidden place and that that same blonde was wishing him a good journey and a better mission.

He knew he was going to miss him dearly but maybe that time apart would help the brunette to think things better. He had let Hephaestion know that he still had feelings for him but the blue eyed youth had ignored every time Alexander had dropped a hint. The young prince only knew that he loved his brunette as the first day and that he would do anything to get his love back and he knew that Megara would understand and consequently help them both, as she had promised a year ago.

Hephaestion did all the travel to his destination without any problem or surprises during the trip. The only thing he was a bit worried about was that Dione had never been on a ship before and he did not know how the mare could react. Acting on that, he personally prepared a stall where he tied her to an extreme and he set also a place for Sotiris and himself; he would never allow anyone to take care of his friends.

Fortunately, the weather was calm so the sea was relatively calm too, both his animal friends did not have any problem, Dione could even sleep during the night and Sotiris slept all the time when she was not walking among the men and terrorizing some of the ladies who were going to the same place. After a two-day trip they arrived to their destination safe and sound.

Hephaestion arrived to a little inn where he would spend the night and prepare for his audience the following morning. As soon as he got up, he put special care in his attire; the governor was a very irritable man so he picked the simplest chiton he had but made of the best Egyptian cotton; he brushed and let his hair loose, the fat man had a soft spot for beauty and he finished his attire with a simple cloak over his right shoulder.

He got to the governor's small palace and announced his presence. A young page made him wait until he went inside to let the man known of his arrival.

Half an hour later, he was summoned to his presence, the old man had thought that this Macedonian emissary would be irritated for having spent so long but he did not know Hephaestion who had the patience of the faithful Penelope.

Their first audience was quite tough; the city governor was reluctant to speak to Hephaestion basing his decision on Hephaestion's youth and inexperience. Hephaestion knew that he had to be patient because his future success as a diplomat would be a direct result of this first audience. He had to prove not only to the governor and his king but also to himself that he was prepared to deal with it.

He went back to the inn to plan his second audience that the governor had accepted reluctantly. Once again, he dressed carefully but this time he added some local pieces of garment, not too notorious but that they could be seen if you looked with intention.

As soon as he was taken to the governor's presence, instead of dealing with the topic he had between his hands, he started to speak about the nice and exotic places he had discovered while wandering around the city the day before. While he retold his experience around the street markets and the narrow streets, Hephaestion added quality information about each place he had seen and he also named the different objects he was willing to buy before going back home, mentioning each of them by their proper name, in the local language and the pronunciation was so accurate that anyone could see that he knew the language quite well. The governor asked him a question in his mother tongue and Hephaestion answered him using the same language and the conversation went on in that language and if Hephaestion answered questions using some dialects, no one said anything about it but the governor looked at the young ambassador under a new light.

That second audience was a tremendous success and the governor not only accepted king Philip's conditions but also named Hephaestion his voice in the Macedonian court and he was invited to stay as long as he desired.

Hephaestion was truly happy that everything had ended well and when he returned to the inn to look for his belongings; the governor had insisted on Hephaestion staying at his house, he found a letter with the Macedonian seal on it. He thought that it was a letter from the king or even Alexander but it was none of them, the sender was Megara who officially announced the dissolution of her engagement with prince Alexander due to irreconcilable differences.

He did not know what to do, Alexander was free again and so was he but they were separated from many miles. The brunette, making use of his logical thinking, decided to spend two or three days there, giving the opportunity for things to calm down in Mieza. He knew that Olympias's shouts would reach heaven.

After asking for a while, a local boy told him how to get to Troy. The brunette was decided to pay his homage to his hero and his lover. He prepared for the short trip; he was going to spend the night there so he took some furs and his weapons.

As soon as he saw the tombs of Achilles and Patroclus, he felt his heart burst into a thousands pieces … a blonde young man was knelt in front of the tombs reading aloud passages of the Iliad with so much feeling in his voice that Hephaestion thought he had died and was now living in the Elysian Fields. He must have made a noise because the young man stopped reading and lifting his face, that was clearly tear-stained, and a whispered "My Patroclus" left his mouth. The cyan-eyed youth replied with just a simple "My Achilles".


	21. Day 20

_This chapter is rated M so you know what you can find in it._

* * *

_**Day Twenty: True Love reborn in Troy. **_

Two young men slept under the stars that night in Troy. They were so close that anyone could think that they had fused their bodies into one.

They had offered homage to their heroes, each of them carried a flower wreath that they had made themselves with the flowers they had found around and they had put them onto the tombs. After that, both young men remained in silence for a while until Alexander turned round and looked at Hephaestion into his eyes and, after taking his hands in his, declared his undying love for him, asking for a second chance. Hephaestion took his prince's hands and lifted them to his lips and he reverently kissed them asking for his forgiveness. The brunette confessed why he had self sacrificed himself and ended their relationship before, thinking that the prince would do better with a woman by his side and that it would also be easier to please his demanding mother in that way.

Alexander listened to him carefully, absorbing every single word his Phai was saying and when he finished, the blonde just cupped his brunette's face with his hands and brought their lips together, brushing them carefully as he did not want to assume that Hephaestion was ready to begin their physical relationship again. When Hephaestion deepened the kiss, the prince sighed between his brunette's lips and tightened the embrace around the slender waist. When the kiss was over, he hid his face in Hephaestion's neck, nuzzling the tender skin there while Hephaestion caressed his back and racked his fingers through the golden tresses, bringing their bodies every time closer.

No more words were exchanged that night, only deep toe-curling kisses and bold caresses that made them pant in each other's arms.

Alexander caressed with his fingertips Hephaestion's cheek, letting his finger travel from the brunette's chin all along his jaw line up to his earlobe. When his fingers were no longer useful, he traced the same path with his lips, peppering the flushed skin with little kisses and when those warm lips reached the earlobe, his wet tongue entered to play, licking the earshell and provoking his young brunette to moan quite sexily.

The prince had to stop his caresses, he was getting so aroused that it was difficult for him without brushing his manhood against Hephaestion's hips. He let himself fall onto his back and sighed loudly while Hephaestion rested on his side along the blonde's body; a strong body he had missed so much in the last months. He was about to caress the sun-kissed chest when Alexander stood abruptly and dared him to go down to the beach and swam in the ocean. Hephaestion, who had always liked water, ran after the prince and made him trip and both of them fell in the cold water of the Aegean Sea. Their games and swimming calmed down the prince's passion but it had the exact opposite effect in the brunette, who seeing his friend wet and with water running in rivulets down his toned chest, felt his groin stir and his manhood took a life on its own. The brunette was sure what he wanted to do, it was high time that they claimed each other's bodies so they could truly and completely enjoy the pleasure of lovemaking.

Alexander, oblivious to his brunette's thoughts, went on swimming and showing his body off. Hephaestion, on the other hand, suffered in silence, comparing the tempting body of his prince with those of the sirens described by Homer in the Odyssey. He knew that his strong will was about to fail and that he could always blame the sea people's chant and how they had made him do what he was about to fulfill.

He silently swam towards Alexander and scooped him up in his arms, bridal style. Alexander, startled by the sudden move, brought his arms around Hephaestion's neck and hugged him tight. Hephaestion stopped in his walking and took the blonde's lips in a searing kiss that left them breathless and with swollen lips.

Hephaestion walked towards the beach, still carrying his precious treasure between his arms, and he then laid him tenderly onto his own cloak. He immediately covered the prince's body with his own while his mouth sought out for his lips again. Dozen of kisses were delivered to the prince's lips until the brunette's tongue pocked the corner of the bruised lips asking for entrance. Hephaestion kissed Alexander within an inch of his life and his invading tongue travelled around every single spot inside the prince's mouth, raising his passion once more. Like a moth drawn to the flame, Alexander followed his brunette's tongue and took the control, plundering Hephaestion's mouth, mapping and learning every inch of it again.

Their hearts were pounding hard and quickly inside their chests but they were too lost to pay too much attention to them, they had other urgencies to take care of. Alexander rolled them over so he was now on top of his brunette's larger body; he leant over and nipped at the bottom lip until Hephaestion let a throaty moan free. He then tipped the brunette's face up in order to kiss his lips again, this time more tenderly and slowly. Hephaestion stretched his neck to one side to give more room to Alexander and the prince took the offered opportunity to lick and bite the tender skin below his earlobe, leaving a violet lovebite. That had a strong reaction on Hephaestion's body who could not keep his hands quiet anymore. His hands glided down Alexander's back with soft caresses until he reached the blonde's arse and he started to let his hands wander over the warm cheeks. Alexander let a moan out and his two coloured eyes narrowed into thin slits while little gasps left his mouth when the caresses turned more intimate and they sent shocks of pleasure along his body.

He straddled Hephaestion's lap and set his hands onto the broad shoulders and leant over to trail light kisses down the side of Hephaestion's neck, who had started to breathe quite rapidly. The kisses followed a path towards the brunette's nipples until the prince's tongue swirled around the arouse nub of brownish flesh. He licked and bit it for a while his other hand pinched the forgotten nipple. Hephaestion bucked his hips upwards to meet Alexander's manhood and create some friction. When that was no longer enough, Hephaestion snaked one hand between the two heated bodies and grabbed their cocks in one hand, and tunnelling that said hand, he started to massage them together from roots to tips.

Alexander stopped his kisses to moan loudly, he could feel his length getting larger and heavier and he felt Hephaestion's doing exactly the same against his. Some strokes later found both young men releasing their pearly load onto the other's bellies and shouting the other's name. They pulled apart with a soft gasp and rested their foreheads against one another while their bodies glistened with sweat.

"Take me, claim me, make love to me" the blonde young man asked his soon-lover-to-be.

"But Alexander, you are a prince and I am just …." but Alexander kissed the rest of the sentence away.

"You are the only owner of my heart and I hope some day I will be that for you too" the prince confessed blushing.

"You already are" Hephaestion said and kissed him deeply when suddenly he felt a hot tingle run along his body and entered Alexander's thorough their kiss. The prince gasped in surprise and repeated his offer. Hephaestion did not refuse again.

While Alexander's hands were lying still next to his assaulted body, Hephaestion's hands were everywhere, caressing with eager fingers along his prince's chest, letting them travel onto overheated skin that was showing a thin layer of perspiration due to the amazing treatment it was receiving.

Those hands were touching every inch of exposed and available skin, and finally, bored of staying in the upper part of the young man's body, they started to move downwards, sliding up and down Alexander's thighs, and caressing quite intensely their inner sides; hands that touched everywhere except his really awaken and aroused manhood. Alexander started to twist and turn onto the cloak, moaning and sighing, totally defeated by his own desire and feeling at his lover's total mercy.

Hephaestion stopped for some minutes to see his handsome blonde; his skin totally flushed and covered by tiny drops of sweat; his hair still damp after their swimming, his eyes were filled with desire, lust but most importantly, with love and trust. When his breathing was at a more normal rate, he decided that those minutes of rest would be over soon; the second part of the assault to that body was about to start.

Hephaestion moved and set on his knees and then rested his bottom on his heels; he took a good look at the strong body in front of him and decided where he would like to attack first. In that moment, Alexander opened one of his eyes curiously and winked at his beloved, letting him know that he was ready for the second part. The brunette so proceeded to slide further down, moving his hands over the strong thighs and his mouth over the flat and soft stomach, kissing the sensitive skin all the way down to Alex's navel. He let the tip of his tongue entered the little hole and began to suck and nip at it while the prince let, quite loudly and vocally, his Phai know how much he was enjoying that. The young man looked at his work and felt satisfied. He set himself between Alex's open legs and nudged them to open further until he was comfortable lying between them, with his broad chest touching Alex's throbbing manhood and his tongue lavishing onto the stiffen nipples again, continuously arousing his lover more and more.

Alexander could not keep being still any longer and he started to move beneath his lover's body, trying to move upwards and he succeeded and soon both cocks were touching, rubbing against the other, making them both gasp and thrust into the other. They both knew that the first time was going to be painful but not even that could put them off their idea.

Hephaestion knew that he had to renew Alexander's arousal so he gently grabbed the almost hard cock in his hand and started to stroke it from its root to the tip, caressing its head gently, back and forward, with the pad of his thumb. The simple caress elicited a loud moan from the blonde and that sound made Hephaestion get hard himself. He then spitted in his open hand and smeared it on his fingers. He massaged the area near Alexander's entrance and after some minutes of a kind massage between his cheeks, he let one wet finger enter him. Alex gasped lowly at the unexpected but still pleasurable sensation and unconsciously made a retreating movement but Hephaestion calmed him down with more kisses and sweet caresses. After a short moment, the prince smiled at his beloved letting him know he was fine and that he was ready to go on in their mutual and so satisfactory exploration.

A second and finally a third finger followed that first one and Hephaestion started to move them inside, loosening, flexing and scissoring the tight ring of muscle until Alexander was panting, begging for more and clenching his tight entrance around his Phai's fingers. The brunette knew that Alex was almost ready so he slipped his fingers from him and the blonde moaned from the loss but it was quickly forgotten when the young brunette positioned himself and aligned his manhood with his prince's entrance, without breaching at all.

Sensing that Alex had relaxed once more and he was not so nervous, Hephaestion helped Alexander to roll onto his back and kissed where his neck met the shoulder tenderly before pressing slowly into him and entering the willing body. The prince felt a sharp pang of pain in his entrance so Hephaestion stopped his movements, giving him time to get accustomed to him, while kissing his lover's lips. The pain passed rather quickly and before Alexander realized it, he was moving in time with his lover's slow and gentle thrusts with his legs wrapped around the young man's waist. Alexander wiggled his hips experimentally and the pleasure intensified more and more.

Wave after wave of pleasure washed over them, making them pant and moan. Hephaestion started to press his body further inside and he finally hit that sweet spot inside his lover that made the blonde groan loudly. After that, their thrusts became quicker, deeper and harder and Alexander, rolling his eyes back, reached for his own cock and tried to pump it in time with Hephaestion's thrusts. But his hand was gently batted and Alexander gasped loudly once more when he felt his brunette wrap his hand around him, fisting his length.

Sweet nothings and incoherent phrases were pronounced by each young man and they knew they were reaching their climaxes. Hephaestion slipped out for some seconds but then slid back into Alexander with more tender and slower thrusts. When he changed his position a bit, he was able to touch the blonde's prostate again making him moan loudly and clenched around Phai's cock while coming over their chests. The sensation of Alexander coming and the expression of bliss in his face were too much for the sensitive brunette. He thrust into Alex some more times, burying himself completely in the spent body beneath his and he followed his blonde lover seconds later.

The blue-eyed man collapsed on top of Alex's chest, over his heart, trying to catch his breath while listening to the blonde's fast heartbeat. Hephaestion clung tighter to his lover who was lying sated under him and he kissed his shoulders and nape with tiny wet kisses.

After some moments, Hephaestion got up and the prince shivered due to the loss of warmth; but the young man returned quickly to his side, bringing back a wet chiton and he proceeded to clean his beloved's belly and thighs, brushing his lips over them as soon as they were cleaned and dried. He then cleaned himself too and left the chiton beside them. He crawled back and lain next to his sated lover. Hephaestion looked at Alexander's flushed face, his reddish and kissed swollen lips and his two coloured eyes so full of love and he thought he had never seen his prince look as gorgeous and happy as he was in that moment.

The blonde young man reached and brought his lover nearer, to rest on his chest, while he brushed his fingertips along his sweaty back. Hephaestion turned to kiss Alexander's chest and then he snuggled into his lover's chest and Alexander wrapped tightly his arms around him, holding him and whispering his thanks one and a hundred times.

Two young men slept under the stars that night in Troy. They were so close that anyone could think that they had fused their bodies into one. Both men were sated and happy, those two men had finally discovered what was to make love for the first time to the person they would share the rest of their lives with.


	22. Day 21

_**Day Twenty-One: First important battle and losses.**_

King Philip had set his mind onto new territories, Macedon was just too small for him now and his thirst for more territories boosted his lust for riches and allies. However, he realized that before his greatest dream could come true, that was the conquest of Asia and consequently the defeat of the Persians, he had to become more powerful in his own lands. Macedon had been finally unified and he had all the aristocracy and land owners under his thumb; the creation of a professional army had also helped him a lot; his warfare techniques were quite innovative and he also counted with vey good engineers, capable of building whatever the amazing engineer in the making, his son's lover, Hephaestion, designed.

The soon-to-be soldier had already designed some war machines that most of his men were eager to try in the battlefield.

So after thinking for a while and giving the idea a second and deep thought, king Philip knew that the Sacred Band were the next to defeat or to convince to join them against the Persians, whatever happened first.

The airs of war were heavy this time; the Thebans had been also fighting for the supremacy of Greece for a long time and now the unified Macedon was a great rival to face. However, king Philip felt a great respect for those warriors because they were quite a formidable force. Prince Alexander admired them a lot too but his admiration was more based on other grounds. Being an eternal hidden romantic as any young man living his seventeen summers, and with such a gorgeous and faithful lover by his side, Alexander saw the Sacred Band not only as a deadly force but also as a group of lovers fighting next to their beloved, as he was willing to do with his Hephaestion, his lover since nearly a year ago.

In spite of his anxiety, Alexander had still mixed feelings, he wanted to prove himself in battle but he was also afraid of dying before his own dreams could become true. He also feared for Hephaestion. He knew that any of his companions could get hurt and eventually died, but he could not get his mind around the idea that one of them could be his beloved Hephaestion; his brave friend who had already defeated death when he was a child, his courageous lover who would not dare to keep himself out of danger; who would enter right into the claws of death if that was necessary.

As the tension around his father and his prospective decision about going to war against Thebes grew, Alexander and his companions, who would be proved a soldiers for the first time in a big battle, spent long hours practising their moves and new tactics that Alexander had secretly designed and passed on his companions. They were eager to put them into practice but they also knew that they had to follow their commanders' orders first.

However, every free moment the prince had, he tried to spend it with his lover, they had already wasted too much time being separated and he would not tolerate that anymore. They had learnt in the hard way how it was to live apart one from the other and they had decided not to let third parties meddle with their relationship again. Alexander had clearly stated that his mother would never try to set them apart, not after the big row that they had had and that if he needed an heir, he would solve the problem when it was really necessary; Hephaestion would also have the right to express his thoughts about the topic.

King Philip had started to move his troops towards the border to asses their power by having small skirmishes before deciding to go against the Sacred Band in full force.

The king was happy as his men had done really good in those small battles and that had risen the morale of all the troops. The companions were excited because the king had promised that they would intervene in the big battle so they would be able to brag, after their victory, that they were real Macedonian soldiers.

The day before the battle at Chaeronea, the men were around their tents, sharing a good and hearty meal. The scouts had come hours before from their recognition mission and told about the enemy's position. King Philip walked around the tents, speaking to his commanders and seeing how his men were doing. He specially wanted to pay extra attention to his son and his companions who were nervous as new foals.

When he got near the young companions' tent, he saw an image that he wanted to imprint in his memory, all the young men were sitting all together, laughing and eating, speaking about what they would do after the battle was over. Only one of the young men was less happy than the rest. Alexander's lover was taking part in the meal but his mind seemed to be too far away. However, Alexander's simple touch on his arm brought him back and with it, a tiny smile, such an intimate gesture between those lovers, that made the tough warrior smile and envy them at the same time because they had their love fresh and still unstained.

The prince subtlety yawned loudly, outstretching his arms and then he let one of them fall onto Hephaestion's shoulders, bringing him nearer to his body. Hephaestion, even though he was not as comfortable as Alexander with those public displays of affection, leaned onto his side and it seemed as if he was going to allow some cuddling against him. Alexander got the message loud and clear, they needed to spend time alone before the battle, because even though it was always difficult to be alone before a battle, he was not in a commanding position yet so he could spend it as he wanted and all they did want was to spend that night together.

Hephaestion stood up and bid everyone health, Alexander followed him minutes later. When he entered the tent, his brunette was standing before a small altar to Aphrodite and he was already praying. Alexander approached him and hugging him from behind, he joined him in his prays.

When that was over, they started the ritual of undressing the other, really slowly while caressing, licking or nipping the hidden skin as soon as it was uncovered. They made love that night, first, desperately as if they wanted to get rid of their nervousness; it was hard, quick but satisfying. However, they also needed to reconnect as lovers so Hephaestion took his prince slowly, so tenderly that their lovemaking made their hearts sore. Nobody bothered them that night.

Bright and early, both young men were ready and they know that they would not have to wait longer.

The battle was ferocious, each soldier, either Theban or Macedonian, fought very bravely but luck seemed to be on the Macedonian side but none of them wanted to chant victory before the right time came.

But luck is a very capricious lady and she liked to play with those men in battle. She started to lean the scales towards the Thebans when the Sacred Band entered the battle. Both Alexander and Hephaestion secretly admired them and felt their hearts jump inside their chests when they saw them. They moved as if they were only one soldier but anyone could see who was partnered with whom.

The battle got worse and in a desperate moment, Alexander decided to use one of his tactics with the Phalanx and it was really successful.

Feeling so euphoric, Alexander let his guard down and got as bit distracted. Those seconds of distraction almost cost him his life when a Theban soldier, blinded by the death of his lover at Macedonian hands, saw the opportunity to cut Alexander's thread of life with an outstanding movement of his sword that caught the prince on his chest, leaving a deep and long cut along his left side, over his heart.

Alexander fell in the battlefield, blood flowing trough the open wound in big gushes. Hephaestion saw the image of his lover lying on a pool of his own precious blood and the brunette saw red. Left behind was his mercy and understanding in that precise moment.

He had seen Alexander's attacker so he pursued him through the sea of men in the bloodied battlefield. The soldier was knelt, cradling his dying lover in his arms. They were much older than Alexander and Hephaestion, their bodies were covered with many and old scars and their left wrists showed matching gold bracelets.

The Theban soldier, sensing a presence nearby, lifted his head, looked at Hephaestion with blurred eyes, and whispered "Sorry" for your mate.

Hephaestion acknowledged his apology and then looked at the soldier cradled in his arms who had just died, looking into his lover's eyes.

"Do me a favour and kill me now because I don't want to live without him".

Hephaestion honoured his request and respectfully took his life so they could be reunited in the warriors' heaven.

Immediately after, Hephaestion ran back where he had left his wounded lover, who was now surrounded by two or three of their companions.

Alexander was still bleeding and no one dared to move him because it could be worse for the prince. Hephaestion knelt by his side, and without knowing why, he leant over and took his lover's bloodied lips in a searing kiss. When Alexander, who was dizzy due to the loss of blood, felt his lips covered by his Hephaestion's, he felt warmth running along his full body and a renewed energy was boosted inside him. His wound stopped bleeding and everyone could see that it did not look as dangerous as minutes before. The companions, seeing that his prince was in better hands, left them alone to celebrate their victory.

Hephaestion was really focused on Alexander's wound so he got a bit distracted and he did not see the Theban soldier crawling towards him. The soldier stood up silently and lifted his sword and he was about to severe Hephaestion's life when a loud howl made him turn round and so Sotiris jumped towards his neck and bit him hard. However, the dying soldier had enough strength to lift his sword again and struck the she wolf with it.

Hephaestion saw the attack as if it were in a slow motion; he saw all of it but he could not do anything to stop it. Alexander, feeling a bit better, motioned him to go to Sotiris and so Hephaestion realized that his attacker was dead and his dear friend was dying.

The young brunette knelt by her side, as he had done with Alexander minutes before. The animal tried to stand up but she could only lift her head, her yellowish eyes were almost closed and bright less. Hephaestion carefully cradled her in his arms and ran his slender fingers through the thick coat of grey fur, now mostly stained with her own blood. Sotiris opened her eyes and locked them with Hephaestion's and it seemed as if she was asking for his forgiveness for leaving him alone; a tear ran along the furry cheek and she died.

A loud shriek was heard and the people around them would swear it was more animal than human, as if it were a wolfish howl.

The battle was over; Alexander was taken to the royal tent to be examined by his father's doctor but his wound was almost healed. When king Philip saw that he was alright, her let him go to see how Hephaestion was doing.

The blonde prince found his lover still cradling the dead wolf between his arms and he seemed to be totally lost. He helped him to be again on his feet and the brunette did not let Sotiris go.

The rest of the army started to organize a small celebration after they had taken care of the injured and the dead. Hephaestion did not feel like celebrating at all so he asked his commander for a special leave and the old warrior, seeing true pain in those sky-blue eyes, granted him his permission without asking a single word.

Hephaestion mounted Dione and Alexander passed him Sotiris's corpse that had been gently covered in one of the prince's cloaks to his arms and the brunette, thanking the kind gesture, left without uttering another word.

When lady Amyntoros saw a rider at the distance, her heart felt heavy. After a battle, the worst thing that a woman could expect to see was a rider coming towards them.

Suddenly she distinguished the lean frame of his beloved and youngest son but the posture was not the one of someone who had been victorious.

She suddenly looked at his lap and saw the still body of the she wolf and her heart suffered due to her son's loss.

Hephaestion dismounted and let his mother hug him tight and without passing a word between them, he started to walk towards the lake. He chose a spot near it and he lowered her gently on the grass. He let his mother look after Sotiris while he went back to the farmhouse in search of a spade.

He made the hole in the land and then he kindly washed her fur of the blood that was still staining it. He kissed the crown of her head and after a long moment, he buried his dear friend and he was not ashamed of crying while he did that. His mother was all the way, next to him giving him support and company.

Hephaestion offered his pray to Apollo, the protector of the wolves, and asked the god to find a nice spot for Sotiris in the Elysium Camps so she would be able to run and chase the rabbits she liked so much.

Lady Amyntoros took his devastated son back to the house and made him take a bath so he could wash away the grim and blood that he was still covered in. Then she tucked him in bed, as she used to do when he was her little boy, and sang to him an old lullaby she used to sing to him when he was just a baby and his beloved Sotiris was still alive. And Hephaestion cried against the pillow because his beloved Sotiris had left him and he also cried for the Theban soldier he had killed because he was not able to live without his lover and the young brunette felt his loneliness deep in his heart and wished he could do something to not feel so guilty for surviving.

Hephaestion spent nearly two days in a blur, just sighing, barely eating, when he listened to a quick gallop and a very familiar nigh. He also listened to Dione answer back and he soon realized who their visitor was. However, he was not in a hurry to greet his lover; his heart was still heavy as Sotiris had been the first close loss he had suffered. He realized he had been a bit selfish with Alexander but he was sure that his lover would understand him.

When after some minutes, no one came looking for him, Hephaestion left his room and headed towards the kitchen. He found his mother and Alexander talking quietly while sharing some sweetened drink the prince was so fond of. Hephaestion realized that Alexander was taking his pain into consideration and, in spite of his natural impatience, the prince was giving him the time he needed to grieve and mourn properly, without imposing his presence. Hephaestion realized that his Alexander loved him deeply and the brunette was happy to see that his feelings were exactly the same to the young blonde prince.

The prince lifted his gaze to look at his lover and he felt his heart shrink when he saw the pain in his Phai's eyes.

"I brought this for Sotiris" Alexander said and handed a small cloth bag to Hephaestion.

When the brunette opened the bag, he looked at Alexander and a tiny smile graced his lips.

"It is beautiful. Thank you" Hephaestion said while looking at the small statue of himself and Sotiris sitting by his side.

"Come with me to set it?" Hephaestion asked while outstretching his hand towards his lover.

Alexander looked at the offered hand and took it immediately. They walked side by side towards the lake and Alexander realized that Hephaestion had chosen that special spot because it had been where Sotiris had saved Hephaestion's life so many years ago, for the first time.

Alexander saw Hephaestion place the statue on the still wet land and then he knelt by it whispering his thanks for her courageous on saving his lover's life again.

They went back to the house and after a light dinner, both young soldiers returned to the army camp where more victories were waiting for them and if, in their way to the camp, they seemed to see a she wolf running beside them, they did not say a word but their teary eyes met in silent recognition.

TBC


	23. Day 22

Day Twenty two: Phobos and Diplomacy.

Hephaestion had proved himself in different fights after Chaeronea and even though he had been in battle without Sotiris, he had been as courageous as he was before her death.

However, after some other small battles, Hephaestion started to behave weirdly. At first, only Alexander realized about his strange behavior. Days after Hephaestion had shown the first symptoms, Alexander decided to approach the subject in the most subtle way he knew, and they were both in bed, in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

"There is something I want to ask you Phai" Alexander asked quietly.

"You know I don't have secrets for you, Xander, you can ask me anything" Hephaestion said looking at his lover.

"Why are you so nervous?" Alexander finally asked.

"Nervous? What do you mean?" the brunette asked and his voice was not as firm as before.

"You are quite jumpy, you seem to be always on alert as if you were waiting for someone to attack you" Alexander added.

"I know, I am trying not to get so obsessed with that but I see enemies everywhere" Hephaestion confessed in a whisper.

"What can I do to help you?" Alexander asked while drowning in his lover's eyes.

"Try not to mother me, please; it is already too hard to feel this useless" Hephaestion asked, knowing that that would be a titanic task for his prince.

"But you are not useless; you still go on entering into battle and fighting with the same courage" the prince tried to calm his lover.

"Yes, but I am the only one who knows how terrified I feel during the whole fight" Hephaestion finally said his biggest fear aloud.

"Is it that bad?" Alexander asked without fully understanding what was happening.

"Yes Xander and I really don't want anyone to know about it" the brunette said in a whisper again.

"You may want to talk to Aristotle and ask him for some advice?" he suggested knowing how well they got along with each other.

"And what would I ask him? Master, is there any concoction to drink so I can stop being a coward?" Hephaestion asked angrily.

"You are not a coward, maybe you are associating everything with Sotiris's death and you can't let that pain go" the prince added another option.

"I should be able to let it go, it has been more than five months, anyone could say that it is about time I stop mourning her" the brunette's voice sounded tired and sad at the same time.

"You are the only one who should decide when to stop, she was your friend, your saviour" Alexander encouraged his friend to go on talking.

"Thanks for understanding. I will try to contact Aristotle and ask him, maybe he had encountered my problem before in others" Hephaestion said while getting more comfortable on the bed.

"Let's do that. Now can I distract you for a while? Alexander asked, nipping the brunette's earlobe.

Hephaestion chuckled and turned onto his side while he let his hand travel along Alexander's side until it rested near his groin.

There was no fear or shyness in their second round and luckily a sated Hephaestion could rest the whole night while his prince cradled him in his arms.

Alexander thought that Hephaestion had found a solution when Aristotle told him that he had seen those symptoms, especially in new soldiers that had suffered a traumatic experience in the battlefield. Those experiences generally generated some post traumatic symptoms such as feeling jumpy or moody, being always on alert and looking for danger even if there wasn't.

Alexander thought that but he was wrong; and what was worse was that somebody else knew about Hephaestion's problem.

Craterous and Cassander were two companions with the biggest thirst of power and control; they also wanted to be close to the crown prince in order to achieve their goals. Even though they had tried everything to get closer and become Alexander's lover, they both had failed.

Hephaestion had been able to capture the prince's heart years ago, at the tender age of seven and after ten years, he still had a strong grip on it, and that power made of him their worst enemy.

They had tried separately to get rid of Hephaestion but they had been unable to do that. After drinking a lot one night, both young men realized that they had the same goal so they decided to join their forces and anger to finally find a way to get rid of the brunette. However, none of the men acknowledged to the other that they were secretly attracted to Hephaestion, who had rejected their advances kindly when they had offered to keep him "company".

Both companions were constantly checking on the brunette so, unfortunately, they were the ones who also discovered what was happening to Hephaestion and they decided to use it against him, as a way of undermining and diminishing his influence over Alexander or belittling his presence and use in the Army; considering him as a liability for the rest of the companions' safety.

After studying him for some days, both companions could discover what made Hephaestion click, jumpy or just unstable and they repeated every patron to make him react in an illogical and uncommon way. And Hephaestion did it, exposing himself to the most severe ridiculaization he had ever suffered.

They made him jump by appearing from behind and startling him; they hid in dark corridors and suddenly popped up making him scream or they followed him and disappeared as soon as he turned round so there was no one there, making Hephaestion feel more nervous and jumpy.

They continued doing that for several days until Hephaestion was a total wreck; he was not able to be quiet or alone; he was constantly looking over his shoulder or with his hand over the hilt of his sword. He was feeling so anxious and worried that he was carrying an extra dagger, hidden beneath his chiton.

By that time, everybody was aware of Hephaestion's problem and many of the companions had started to laugh at his jumpy behaviour.

Hephaestion could not take it any longer and Alexander did not know how to help him or what to do to prevent those symptoms from getting worse.

One late evening, after a long and tough day, Alexander saw Hephaestion fleeing king Philip's palace towards the woods. He decided to let him be alone for a while but when dinnertime arrived and Hephaestion was still missing, he decided to look for his lover, worried that, in his distressed state, Hephaestion could have done something against his own safety.

The prince ran towards the darkest area of the woods but he stopped as soon as he found Hephaestion knelt by a small altar. His lover was burning some spices to Ares and that sign just told Alexander how disturbed his lover was or if he were even thinking about what he was doing. Alexander knew that Hephaestion would never plead the name of the god of war.

The blonde prince approached Hephaestion quietly but making enough noise to let his lover know he was there. Surprisingly, the blue-eyed youth was so immerse and lost in his prayers that he did not realize he was accompanied until Alexander put a hand on his shoulder.

Hephaestion freaked out and turning round as quick as a thunderbolt, he took his dagger out to place it onto his attacker's neck; he was about to cut the skin beneath the sharp weapon when he realized that it was Alexander. The prince took a deep breath and Hephaestion could see that the blonde's two coloured eyes were totally dilated due to the fear he was feeling.

Hephaestion dropped his dagger and enveloped Alexander in a tight embrace while he asked for his forgiveness repeatedly. Alexander hugged him back and let themselves fall to the grass on their knees. When the misunderstanding was over, Alexander cleared his voice and asked Hephaestion what he was doing out there, all by himself.

The brunette confessed that he was asking Ares for some help; he was about to ask the god to arouse his courage with his offering of some very expensive spices; the very same ones he had used to burn at Apollo's altar for his beloved Sotiris.

Alexander nodded and understood Hephaestion's reason so he joined his lover by the altar and remained in silence while the brunette finished his prayers. As he was staring at Hephaestion, Alexander could see the exact moment when the blue-eyed soldier got a positive answer to his prayers. The prince could also see how a bluish light enveloped the brunette's tall frame and he was able to see how the frown of his forehead disappeared and how all his worry lines faded away, giving him a new and more peaceful countenance.

It also seemed as if the heavy weight that was making his shoulder hunch had been lifted and a more confident man appeared in front of his eyes.

The bluish glow faded away slowly and Hephaestion came back to his senses as if he had been in a trance. He looked sideways and saw Alexander and the world surrounding him under a new and different light.

Hephaestion thanked Ares once more for giving such a kick to his battered courage but he also asked silently for Aphrodite's help; he knew that Ares could sometimes be ruthless and he never wanted to be that; he did not want to feel fear but he did not want people to be afraid of him; he wanted and needed to keep those feelings that made him feel normal … just human.

He was starting to lose that just acquired peace of mind when a gentle and warm feeling grew inside his chest. He immediately recognized the presence of his protector Aphrodite and her soothing words echoed inside his mind.

"Do not worry my child, your courage might have been boosted but your humanity will always remain intact, even if I have to take care of it myself.

Do your job and more gifts will be granted to assure you that you are worthy of all this and to make you understand that you have a crucial role in the Macedonian army and that you will increase your influence and your position will be steadier as time goes by.

Be brave my child, and assume your role in life!"

Her voice whispered and then it finally disappeared.

Both young men returned to the palace and for the first time, Alexander remained quiet, without making a single question or a statement; for the first time the prince knew he had to respect his friend and that he had to show him that the brunette could count on him at any time.

A few metres near the palace gates, Hephaestion turned round and looked at Alexander in his two coloured eyes and leaning forward slowly, he took the blonde's lips in a deep but gentle kiss. When it was over, he whispered his thanks against those reddish warm lips. The prince simply nodded and gave Hephaestion's hand a reassuring squeeze.

They shared dinner with the companions who were still there and then; they quietly retired to Alexander's room that had become their room lately. Alexander stripped Hephaestion of his dusty clothes; the brunette seemed as if his vital energy was abandoning him; he looked completely drained. The prince saw that and helped him by leading the tired young man to the bath area where he gave his lover a quick but relaxing bath with a soft cloth, as if he were bathing a baby. He dried him quickly with a smooth cotton towel and guided him back to the big bed that dominated most of the free space in the room.

Hephaestion sighed loudly as soon as his body touched the silk sheets and his eyes were immediately closing down. The blonde prince peppered the brunette's handsome face with numerous kisses, lingering on those pinkish and full lips. He continued with his ministrations along the strong neck and then he nibbled over the brownish and sensitive nipples. Another groan left Hephaestion's lips and Alexander decided that it was time to take in his own hands the release of his friend's arousal.

Jolts of pleasure raced down the brunette's spine and he finally relaxed after the intensity of his orgasm.

Alexander kissed him long for the last time before he spooned him and before the prince realized, Hephaestion's breathing was even and shallow showing that he was deeply asleep. Alexander kissed Hephaestion's shoulder and hiding his nose among the long tresses, he fell asleep next to his lover.

The following morning, a very shy page approached the brunette who was having his morning meal with Alexander and the rest of his friends. The young page cleared his throat and waited patiently until Hephaestion set his cyan eyes on him. The page blushed immediately and a sudden stutter affected his voice. The rest of the companions laughed loudly because it was a common reaction that Hephaestion provoked as soon as he set his eyes on anyone. The page looked back at him with dreamy eyes until a cold stare and the loud clearing of the prince's voice took him out of his dreamland.

"King Philip requests your presence" the page finally said.

"Alright. Could you tell me where he is?" Hephaestion asked politely.

"He is waiting for you at the Throne room" the page said.

"I will be there" Hephaestion replied and stood up immediately.

Alexander looked at him and he was about to stand up and go with Hephaestion but, thinking it better, he remained on his seat. Hephaestion smiled at him and patting the prince's shoulder, he followed the page.

Two hours later, Hephaestion returned and went directly to their chamber. He found Alexander there, who was looking for a new pair of sandals as one of the laces in his older pair was cut.

He saw Hephaestion preparing a leather bag and his heart immediately shrank; it was the same bag he had used for his travel to Troy and the brunette was putting extra clothes, cloaks and scrolls inside. He turned round and looking into Alexander's eyes, he said:

"Your father is sending me on a new diplomatic mission to Athens. I don't know how long it will take me but I promise to hurry back to you as soon as it is possible"

Hephaestion said without taking his eyes from his prince's face that could no longer hide his despair. The brunette could not hide his insecurity too but he knew that he could be what his king and army needed. It was what Aphrodite had already told him the day before.

The lovers shared a passionate kiss and a long embrace as if they wanted to keep their better half's warmth for the time they would be apart. Alexander saw his lover depart and his heart was already missing his brunette as soon as Hephaestion had crossed the palace gates.

The diplomatic mission was long and hard. Once again, the Athenian politicians and rulers questioned Hephaestion's youth but he proved them wrong. His quick mind, witty remarks and natural politeness got him what he had proposed at the beginning of his mission. He did such a good job that he got more contacts that the ones he had been asked for and he also had the chance to cross path with Demosthenes who wanted to keep him by his side and became his mentor. Hephaestion denied the offer politely; he was sure whom his loyalty belonged to.

When the mission was over, he decided to take two extra days to visit the city; a city he was enamored with and that he had not seen for more than ten years.

He visited the temple of Aphrodite and while he was there doing his libations, the goddess spoke into his mind as she had done before his trip. This time, the sweet Aphrodite told him that he had to visit the temple dedicated to her loving husband because there, a gift would be revealed to him because he had been able to get over his fears and achieve his goals in a magnificent way. She also added that the gift was recognition of the Olympians for being such a remarkable human being and because he had accepted with manliness his worth and position inside the Macedonian army.

Hephaestion blushed at such a big praise; nevertheless, he decided to go to the temple to discover what his gift was. He was quite curious about it and he had never gone to that temple before even though his name and the god's were related to each other.

The young diplomat and soldier stopped at the local market to buy some rich spices to burn in the god's altar. He arrived to the temple of Hephaestus and started to burn his offering. While he was deeply concentrated doing that, a thick cloud of grey mist appeared in front of his eyes. However, in the middle of that darkness, he saw a flash of light, as if it were a lightning bolt. When the mist started to clear, he listened to a low voice that asked him to outstretch his arms with the palms of his hands facing the ceiling.

Hephaestion did as he was asked and he suddenly felt a considerable weight on his hands. The mist disappeared completely and the mysterious gift was revealed. Hephaestion had in his hands the most beautiful sword he had ever seen; the scabbard was delicately engraved with scenes that revealed the making of the sword in the god's forge. The hilt was also engraved but it also allowed having a strong grip on it.

Hephaestus asked the young man to take the sword out because they needed to bond. The god also asked him to think a name for his sword and to whisper it over the blade so the sword would always recognize who her master was and she would only obey him.

Hephaestion was a bit confused and it must have reflected on his face. The god explained that it was a magic sword and it was as powerful as it was dangerous. Because of its power, it could not fall in anybody's hands so there was a spell on it "Only the one who named me could use me, only for defense, not only his but also to protect his loved ones"

Hephaestion did as he was asked and named his sword "Loyalty". As soon as the name was whispered, a reddish flame enveloped man and sword and the bond was completed.

Hephaestus asked Hephaestion to be a good man and wishing him good luck, he disappeared.

Hephaestion left the temple with his heart full of happiness and peace; he knew what his role was and he swore not to hesitate again.

A nervous young man went to Athens in order to find himself; a new man came back, completely reborn in the god's fire.


	24. Day 23

**Day twenty-three: Bonding of hearts.**

Hephaestion came back as a complete and different man after his diplomatic mission to Athens and it was impossible not to notice all the changes, not only in his character but also in his body.

He was no longer shy at expressing his opinions and he even dared to disagree with his blonde lover more than once, and none of those times had been when they were alone but surrounded by others. Many of the companions enjoyed that new and more challenging side of the brunette, especially Ptolemy who had always seen the potential in his young friend.

His reasoning and quick thinking made people stop speaking and listen to him instead, being among them the stubborn Macedonian king Philip. The man was every day more convinced that Hephaestion had been the best asset the Macedonian kingdom could have acquired and he had secretly promised himself that he would do up to the impossible to keep him close, giving him as many diplomatic missions as were necessary. The youngest Amyntoros had found his place in the army and if rumours were true, he had finally found his place beside the prince's side too.

His confidence and trust on himself had also given Hephaestion's body a more relaxed posture and it seemed as if he were taller and stronger than before. It was not strange seeing him practicing with the rest of the companions, always waving that powerful sword he had come back from Athens with. Many had tried to use it but it had been impossible to take it out of its scabbard; however, the brunette did it every time effortlessly.

His face also presented new changes, his eyes seemed bluer if that thing could ever be possible and they had acquired a new look, as if they were older than they should be.

Alexander had been having quite a hard time since his brunette's return; it had been nearly impossible for him to keep his hands to himself while they were with others; however, he had found a very satisfactory solution to his eagerness by making love to Hephaestion every single night. He had also tricked his brunette into moving to his chamber so they could spend every night together since his return as if he feared losing him again.

The young prince had seen how the rest of the men looked at his Phai, some of them with admiration but most of them with wanton and lust and the blonde prince was afraid of someone making a move onto Hephaestion if he became distracted.

In spite of his fears, Alexander had to recognize that Hephaestion had never given him the slightest sign of wanting another person but him and that had appeased his turbulent heart for a while.

* * *

Three months had gone by since Hephaestion's return, everything seemed to be going well for the new lovers, and no problems were seen on the horizon.

King Philip had invited some of the newly gained ambassadors to a small banquet to show them that he was not the barbarian many of them supposed he was. The prince and the companions had been invited too, not to the banquet itself but to the celebration and entertainments after it. Only the prince had been allowed to attend the banquet because Philip wanted to show off his son.

The banquet went well and many of the ambassadors were surprised with the vast and deep knowledge the prince had about many important topics. One of the guests compared him to that sensible brunette that had made him come to terms with the king's ideas in Troy.

King Philip immediately told them that that intelligent young man was also there, studying under the tutelage of Aristotle's.

At the mentioning of Hephaestion's name, one of the youngest ambassadors asked Philip if it was possible to meet that diplomat again. The king asked Alexander to go and bring Hephaestion with him, suspecting the ambassador's hidden motives of his request.

Alexander did as he was asked and when Hephaestion entered the banquet hall, a loud gasp could be heard. The young ambassador stood up and quickly went to meet the stunning brunette that truly was a sight for sore eyes. Without following any of the protocol rules, he hugged Hephaestion tight and if one of his hands travelled south over the brunette's back, no one said a thing but a pair of two coloured eyes acquired a thunderouos look in them too quickly.

King Philip saw the look in his son's eyes and guessed that a problem might arise if he did not tame that volatile mood of his. He would be on the alert but decided not to intervene as long as it was not necessary or if he saw that Alexander could deal with the pressure.

Hephaestion behaved as politely as ever but every time he wanted to speak with the other delegates, he was monopolized by the young ambassador who could no longer hide his crush on him. His flatteries had been quite naïve in the beginning but then Alexander eavesdropped the man telling his lover that he would die if he did not have a taste of his body soon.

Hephaestion for the first time in a long time did not know what to do and he got even more nervous when he realized that Alexander had clearly listened to the ambassador's request. He knew that Alexander would kill the man in the same spot if he dared to touch him once more.

However, when things seemed to be getting out of control, king Philip appeared and standing next to Hephaestion, he asked him to retire to his bedroom as he was needed up early the following morning. Hephaestion nodded and bid health to the rest of the people attending the party.

The young ambassador felt disappointed because he was sure that he had been near to get what he wanted from the blue-eyed god.

Alexander breathed lowly and the respect for his father simply rocketed.

When the banquet and the celebrations were nearly over, the young and cocky ambassador approached the king and prince and asked them if he could ask for a favour in honour of the well-known Macedonian hospitality.

The king quickly suspected what the young and horny man wanted so he set his hand onto Alexander's tensed shoulder to let him know he was not alone.

The ambassador asked for Hephaestion to be sent to his chamber because he wanted to spend the night and the rest of his stay with him.

Alexander saw red and he was setting his hand on the hilt of his dagger when King Philip answered the horny ambassador that the Macedonian hospitality did not include whoring any of his soldiers or diplomats. He also added that Hephaestion was already spoken for and in a very steady relationship with a member of the royal house.

The ambassador tried to protest but he finally realized that it was pointless and went away in search of a wanton and available body.

Alexander hugged his father and after whispering very heartfelt thanks, he ran towards his chamber where he found his gorgeous lover pacing from one side to the other. Hephaestion lifted his gaze and saw Alexander's thunderous and cloudy look in his face. The brunette practically ran towards his lover thinking that a disgrace might have happened at the banquet and that they would have to run away to save their lives.

He was about to speak when eager lips took his in a toe-curling kiss that left him panting and with swollen lips when it was over.

When he recovered his breathing, Hephaestion asked Alexander what had happened in the banquet. The prince told him that they would speak about it later because he had a more serious question to ask him first.

Hephaestion's clear and calm eyes encouraged him to pop the question.

"Would you celebrate a bonding ceremony with me?" Alexander asked and even though his voice faltered, he did not stop looking at the surprised brunette standing in front of him.

"You don't have to do this Xander, and you already know that we are quite young to be bonded, we are just 20 and you can still meet …." He was rudely interrupted.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Hephaestion Amyntoros because it would only show me that you don't know me as well as I thought you did" an angry Alexander said.

"But Xander, you need an heir …" the brunette tried to speak but it was pointless.

"No buts, no heirs, I know what I need, right now the only thing I need is you. I don't need a queen or an heir, I don't need no one but you but … if you don't want to bond with me, I would accept your decision, may be you only love me but you are not in love with me …" the blonde prince ended his statement in a whisper.

"That is not what I meant Alexander and you do know well how much I love and that I am in love with you too but …"

"Don't worry Phai, it was just a stupid idea" Alexander said and left their room and he did not go back there.

Hephaestion felt terrible about it but he knew that he did not need a bonding ceremony that would make things more difficult by the time Alexander had to look for a queen to bear his children.

None of the young men slept that night and when they met the following morning, Alexander did as if he had never asked Phai about anything as important as the bonding ceremony.

Hephaestion was more relaxed because Alexander did not ask or mention anything about it but deep down inside his heart, he felt a bit disappointed because his prince had renounced to the idea so quickly, especially because Alexander was very stubborn to let go of something he considered so important.

* * *

Days went by and they turned into months. Everything was fine between the lovers but Hephaestion had realized that Alexander was a bit more distracted than usual and he had been quite busy lately but refusing Hephaestion's help even though he looked exhausted. Many nights the prince could just drag himself back to bed and, more than once, he had fallen asleep in his chiton and boots.

Hephaestion was getting more and more concerned about his weird attitude and he had begun asking their companions about it but no one could tell him anything. However, he knew that there was something going on because their closest companions were always whispering and all the secrecy tended to stop as soon as he was near them.

Spring arrived and it was showing its very warm days; every day the sun shone and Hephaestion could see how nature bloomed in front of his own eyes; spring was his favourite season because it was connected to life, renewal and future.

He had been studying a couple of birds and their little chicks, and he could not stop thinking about families and offspring, in fact, about his own family and children and he realized that he had abandoned that idea when he had chosen Alexander as his lover. He knew he did not regret his decision but he also knew that he would miss not having his own babies in his arms, or little ones running after him. His nieces and nephews were no longer children but adults, even older than he was, and he would not have anyone to teach how to make a fire or go camping under the stars. He also knew he could have children with any woman he chose but he did not feel not right in his heart to do so … he did not have the obligation of having children of his own … like Alexander.

In spite of the fine weather, Hephaestion was feeling a bit blue and it revealed in his looks, his eyes were not lively as other days and Alexander got worried about him. The prince decided to speed things up and try to give his Phai that happiness he thought he did not have the right to ask for. Alexander knew that he could not give all what his brunette's heart desired but at least he would give him the most he could.

He organized everything and he also requested the help of some of their closest friends.

Hephaestion was revising some scrolls about a new language he was trying to learn when a page showed up next to him; he handed him a note and Hephaestion immediately recognized Alexander's seal and a tiny smile graced his lips. He read the note and immediately left whatever he was doing to go in search of his mysterious lover. He followed the prince's detailed instructions and he found himself heading to the thickest and furthest spot in the woods where he knew that they would not be distracted.

As soon as he arrived to the designed spot, he realized that the whole place had been changed and he gasped with surprise when it dawned on him that it looked exactly the same as the place in Troy where they had made love for the first time.

A very nervous Alexander was standing there, wearing his whitest chiton and sandals; his hair was combed and a thin gold band on his forehead decorated his head. He was holding a pair of long strings of silk, one blue and one red.

He approached the surprised brunette and taking him by his hands, he led him towards a small altar. Hephaestion could not take his eyes out of Alexander, he was more handsome than ever and that nervousness made him look even cutter, but that was something that Hephaestion would keep for himself.

Hephaestion suddenly realized that they were not alone; Ptolemy, Perdicas, Nearchos and Cleitus were there too. He was a bit confused but when he looked again at the ribbons, he finally understood what would be happening soon.

"My dear Phai, I once asked you if you wanted to have a bonding ceremony with me and you rejected me with a very lousy excuse, at least for me. I will ask you once more today and if your feelings are the same as they were five months ago, I would accept your decision and I will never ask you again. So here I ask you again, Hephaestion Amyntoros would you have a bonding ceremony with me, here and now?"

Alexander was very nervous; if he had not been so nervous he would have seen Hephaestion happily nodding before he ended his question. The prince lifted his two-coloured eyes and was shocked at seeing Hephaestion with the broadest smile he had ever seen in his face.

"Of course I would, my Alexander. It is high time I stop masking my feelings and thinking that I don't deserve you" Hephaestion confessed and approached his blonde husband-to-be.

Perdicas and Nearchos got closer and asked both men to stand side by side. They asked them if they were free to celebrate the bonding bows and both men answered affirmatively.

Cleitus stood by Alexander's side while Ptolemy did the same by Hephaestion's; both companions would be the witnesses of the bonding and the ones who would validate their union.

Perdicas took the red ribbon and tied their hands; intertwining the ribbon around the clasped hands.

"The red ribbon symbolizes the power and strength of your love; it also means passion that will drive you both during your bonding. It also means the problems you may face in your most heated moments"

Nearchos took the blue ribbon and repeated the same, weaving their hands together.

"The blue ribbon symbolizes the trust and peace of your love; it also means the fidelity that you will both honour during your bonding. It also means the solutions you will find to solve any problems you may have"

Nearchos and Perdicas said together:

"We have tied your hands as an external symbol of your bonding, the four of us here today will pray to the gods and ask them to help you get the same bonding between your hearts"

Perdicas looked at Hephaestion and said again:

"Alexander wants to exchange these bracelets as a symbol of your bonding. Will you accept one, Hephaestion?" he asked seriously.

"I will" Hephaestion answered and he felt his heart swell with love and happiness.

Perdicas turned to Alexander and offered one of the gold thick bracelets with red engravings on it. Alexander took it and looking at Hephaestion into his cyan eyes, said:

""My dearest Phai, accept this bracelet as a symbol of my love and fidelity. May father Zeus strike me dead if I ever fail you"

And taking Phai's left wrist, he set it there. He then offered the second bracelet with blue engravings onto it to Hephaestion who took it and set onto Alexander's left wrist.

The brunette with unshed tears in his crystal eyes said:

"My dearest Xander, accept this bracelet as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. May the Olympians grant me a long life next to you "

Cleitus patted Alexander's back and then hugged him tight, repeating the same gesture with Hephaestion and wishing both men a long and interesting life together.

The four friends wished good luck to the newly bonded couple and toasted with several goblets of red Macedonian wine. After sharing some time together, the four companions bid them health and left Alexander and Hephaestion alone.

Even though they had been lovers for many years, both felt a bit shy; it really dawned on them what an important step they had just given in order to have a stronger and steadier relationship, without caring of others' opinions and leaving behind their own fears and insecurities.

Alexander took Hephaestion's face between his hands and kissed him passionately, conveying in that single kiss all the love he felt for him.

Hephaestion kissed him back, matching the prince's passion and his hands started to travel along Alexander's back until they rested on the small of his back. Hugging each other, they started to move, as if they were dancing to the sound of a music they could only hear.

More kisses and caresses were shared and when their passion was unbearable, Alexander took his partner's hand and led him to a hidden spot near the waterfall.

Hephaestion saw a bed made of twigs and leaves, flowers and grass and he smiled; prince or not, Alexander would always be an eternal romantic. Alexander undressed him and let his eyes be filled with the most beautiful image he had ever seen, his Phai all muscles and strength was bathed in moonlight and his eyes were the brightest stars in the whole night sky.

Alexander let Hephaestion take his turn to undress him and when they both were naked; they met in a tender embrace. Wandering hands started to travel along wanton bodies and their arousals were more notorious. Alexander made Hephaestion lie on his back and the brunette immediately opened his legs to allow his mate to accommodate between them. The prince covered the slender but strong body with his and after some minutes of a very thorough preparation, he entered his mate slowly and sighed lowly because he was finally home.

They made love many times that night, sometimes, it was slow and tender and others were more passionate and faster.

When both lovers were feeling tired due to their many releases, they quickly bathed in the waterfall and went back to their makeshift bed, where Alexander covered them with a fur cloak.

Morpheus cradled them in his arms offering them a peaceful and restful sleep while the Olympians celebrated the bonding of their two most special and dearest creations.

A shy Eros, after asking for Zeus's permission descended to earth and by kissing the newly bonded mates on their heads, he granted his gift and fueled the fire of eternal love.

TBC


	25. Day 24

_**Day Twenty four: Problems and jealousy.**_

Two years had gone by since the prince and Hephaestion's bonding, which had provoked different reactions when the news was known.

King Philip was the first to show his support to the newly-bonded couple; he had always thought that Hephaestion was the perfect man to tame his so changeable son. He also had to recognize that Hephaestion was a remarkable young human being; just at 23 he had already achieved many things, rival to any of his most experienced Generals.

Queen Olympias, on the other hand, had let his wrath unleashed and had clearly let both young men know how furious she was at the decision they had taken. Her letters exuded bitterness and venom in each of the words written in the several scrolls she had sent, first to Alexander, and then to Hephaestion. In her letters to the brunette, the mother Queen let him know that he would regret being a stone in her son's path to Niké. She also mentioned his selfishness; she wrote that if he had truly loved Alexander as much as he always said, he would have let him free to look for a good Macedonian woman to give him children. She also insisted on the early demise of such bonding; they were too young and none of them had lived long enough to know what the best was for them or what true love meant.

Alexander and Hephaestion used to read the letters together but when they turned more poisonous and disrespectful, they stopped reading them because they always left a bitter taste in their hearts. Fortunately, the queen stopped sending her letters when she realized that the young mates did not care about her opinion and she resigned to have occasional news from his son, most of them provided by the very same king.

Many of the companions took the news as a normal and logical step; they had been witnesses of their relationship and how it had been born so many years ago; how it flourished and weather very difficult and stormy moments. Many of them thought that Alexander's engagement to Megara would have been the point of no return for the brunette and it seemed like it was like that for some months but their love was much stronger and they had finally dared to risk everything to get each other back.

Alexander had been totally devastated when Hephaestion met Theron because he thought he had lost his brunette forever. The trip to Troy was the journey that brought both lovers back and from that moment onwards, they had worked hard to make their relationship work and they had been for each other since then.

However, those companions who had secretly wanted the brunette for themselves, felt totally defeated when they saw those matching gold bracelets and the more obvious exchanges of looks or subtle touches when they were in public. Their love was so big that couldn't be hidden anymore.

Cassander and Craterous were fuming when they realized they had lost the brunette and also the possibility to get a more influential position with Alexander; Philotas was furious because he had always wished to become Alexander's lover and ruled him with his naïve attitude and his good looks.

None of them had ever realized that they had lost Alexander the same moment he had set his two-coloured eyes on his Phai years ago and it seemed that only Hades would be able to set them apart.

Hephaestion continued with his training as well as the rest of the companions and they were more than ready to start the new campaign against Persia, which was King Philip's latest obsession. The one-eyed ruler wanted to bring the Persian king to his knees and with that victory and the acquisition of such a large territory; he would be the true ruler of the eastern lands.

Philip seemed to have the best chances to achieve his so much desired goal; he had a powerful and professional Army, repeatedly proved in battle and undefeated. He also had the best diplomats, being his son's mate the most trustful of all and he had Alexander's youth, courage and determination to help him with the old Macedonian dream to rule the East.

King Philip trusted Alexander with his heart and mind and so he needed his presence almost constantly and he demanded him to be by his side at all times. He was his consultant, his calm influence when Philip felt frustrated, even though the prince had a very bad temper himself; but Philip listened to him and Alexander could reason with him in order to find the best solution or result.

The more time Alexander spent with Philip, the less he spent with his mate. Hephaestion was always busy too so he did not see any of the signs that could bring their bonding to an end. However, when three nights in a row Alexander did not come back to their house, he started to worry. As soon as they were bonded, they had decided not to live in the palace but in a nearby little house so they could spend their time alone and be able to separate their "work" from their personal lives, even if it were for a few hours.

Hectic days became weeks and Hephaestion had seen Alexander so little that he had almost forgotten how his mate sounded, smelt or looked.

They had crossed paths many times but they were always in a hurry, surrounded by others or sent into different directions. Hephaestion knew that Alexander was not doing that on purpose but he was a bit disappointed because his prince and mate did not make the time to have, at least, one of their meals together.

Hephaestion started to neglect his health and when he was worried, he usually stopped eating. Everybody noticed that Hephaestion was losing too much weight; everybody except Alexander because he had not been intimate with his mate for the last month. If the prince made it to their bed at night, it was always too late and he was too tired, so they exchanged their goodnights and an awaken Hephaestion looked at his lover sleep by his side as if they were just strangers.

Long lost were the passionate kisses, the long hugs or their slow and daily lovemaking. Hephaestion realized that he might be losing Alexander and he did not know how to speak about it with Alexander without sounding needy or selfish.

Little by little, Olympias's poisonous words started to seep in his mind, fogging his confidence and creating very depressing scenarios in his mind.

Meanwhile, Alexander was totally oblivious to what was happening to his mate; he had realized that Hephaestion had been quieter than usual but he assumed that it was because he was tired; his mate was always moving from one place to another or taking extra classes on languages or diplomacy.

It also dawned on him that they had not shared a bed in the last three days and he really missed knowing that his Phai was next to him but his father's meetings had been turning into very long ones that often ended when many of them fell asleep on the table.

That morning, when he was heading towards the dining room, he eavesdropped two new pages speaking about his brunette. One of them was saying how handsome Hephaestion was and the other one agreed with him, but he also pointed out that he liked him most when he was more muscled and not so thin as he was at the moment.

Alexander looked at the pages passing by and Ptolemy, who stopped him to ask what his problem was, saw the surprised expression on his face at what he had just heard.

Alexander retold Ptolemy what he had listened and he was more surprised when Ptolemy had nodded and wondered how blind he had been that he had not noticed that himself.

Alexander looked around the room, trying to find his mate and he sighed when he saw Hephaestion entering the place. However, Hephaestion was so distracted that he did not see Alexander in the room; he had got so accustomed to his absence that he had quickly blocked his presence. But the prince had realized how much he had neglected his mate if the brunette did not realize they were both in the same room.

Alexander approached Hephaestion slowly and he snaked his arms around the slender waist, pushing the now thinner frame to his still broad one. Hephaestion turned round quickly at the sudden touch but then relaxed when the familiar scent entered his nostrils.

"I'm sorry" Alexander whispered in his ear.

"It's alright" Hephaestion answered back.

"No, it is not, I have been neglecting you and I did not realize that you were losing weight" the blonde explained.

"You are busy and your father needs you" Hephaestion tried to justify Alexander's actions.

"You are also busy and you need me too, don't you?" he asked nervously.

"I do but he needs you more. We knew that this would be difficult" Hephaestion said, a bit resigned to a not so bright future.

"What are you saying, Phai?" Alexander was truly nervous by that moment.

"That I understand you"

"You don't have to understand me, you don't have to accept everything, you must tell me off when I am like this" Alexander said, raising his voice.

"I can't do that, Alexander" Hephaestion whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because you are the prince"

"I am your mate first" and taking his hand in his, led Hephaestion to the table.

They shared their morning meal and Alexander promised to be at their house no matter how late the meetings ended. That night both men spent their time catching up and making love to each other tenderly, and after that day they did up to the impossible to spend time together every single day.

But happiness like luck are two naughty young ladies who liked to play with mere mortals. When everything between the lovers looked as if it were as it used to be, they were struck just to remind them that they were no gods.

Alexander was sent to eastern lands to see what it was like; he went disguised as a merchant so in that way he would be able to wander around, picking up information and without calling people's attention. With that information, they could plan their invasion more accurately.

Ptolemy decided that Hephaestion would not accompany Alexander because he was already known by many people and he needed him to plan the diplomatic steps they would put into action as soon as the Persian were defeated. Alexander protested quite loudly but he knew that it was his duty and he knew that Hephaestion would totally support him.

* * *

Four months later, a very changed Alexander came back to his own lands, wearing strange clothes and speaking marvels about the East, its customs, its riches and the exotic things he had learnt to enjoy. Alexander could not stop speaking about what he had seen, lived and learnt and he had also brought things back to show his father and the rest of the army. But what he had forgotten to explain was why he had two new servants, one young man with long black hair and his sister who was also dark-haired but with many and pronounced curves, all of them in all the right places.

Alexander introduced them and immediately after, he sent them to his house where Hephaestion found them when he was coming from the baths. The brunette asked who they were and they both answered that they were Alexander's lovers and servants.

Hephaestion felt his heart break in a thousand pieces but he remained silent. He asked his cook to prepare dinner for them all and to let him know when it was ready.

The brunette was finishing his last report when he heard the front door and he walked quickly towards it to greet his mate after those four long months. But when he crossed the door, he saw both slaves kissing his mate's face and lips and attending to his needs. Alexander did not say a thing against it and it seemed as if he was quite enjoying their attention. Hephaestion soon realized that his partner had been receiving the same treatment during his stay in the east.

He cleared his voice twice; Alexander was a bit distracted by his male servant's wandering hands that were boldly caressing his groin.

"Oh, joy to you Hephaestion" he said.

"Joy to you, my prince" he answered without knowing how to address that man that was standing in front of him wearing those strange clothes and stripped of his gold bonding bracelet.

"Let me introduce you to Farid and Nima, they will be living here" he said simply stating the new arrangements.

"As you wish, Sire" Hephaestion replied and that was the moment when Alexander finally spared a moment to look at his brunette.

Hephaestion had changed once again, during those four months; he was still thin but looking healthy. However, there was something in his eyes that had not been there before, they reflected resignation; unfortunately Alexander had not been able to spot that as he was still blinded by his eastern experiences.

"You don't need to be so formal, Phai" Alexander said and approached his mate.

"So, how do you want me to call you?" he asked seriously, his eyes cast down.

"As you always had" he said.

"I don't think that my former nickname for you still stands. Health to you, Alexander" and Hephaestion retreated to another room where he had never slept before.

Alexander was about to stop him to solve things between them when Nima caressed his face, making him look at her and she kissed him on the lips and Alexander lost himself in those full lips.

Hephaestion spent the two following days avoiding Alexander and his servants who had comfortably taken over the control of the house. He already knew that due to Alexander's passionate nature, he would take other lovers but he had never imagined that he would bring them to live with them. He decided not to tell him anything but he would not allow him to disrespect him in front of his friends or his eastern lovers.

Hephaestion was stronger than anybody believed and he would not suffer in vain; he knew that his stubbornness would keep him in the place he deserved and that the gods would help him to live through those hard times.

Alexander was like hypnotized by his experiences and his two lovers and he could not see that he was losing the only person that had always believed in him, no matter how fool he had been.

However, this time Hephaestion was not going to be the one to suffer. If Alexander could have lovers so could he because they were mates and they had the same rights and duties.

While Alexander continued being surrounded by his servants and his exotic adopted customs, Hephaestion had begun spending time with his brothers in arms and he had started paying attention to other people and those who had been gifted with his attention, were bragging about it.

Sooner than later, news got to Alexander and the prince was not happy at all; Hephaestion was his mate even if they had not been together since he came back. And that was when it hit him; the prince realized that, once more, he had ignored his Phai, violating his bonding vows again, but this time it had been worse because he had taken not one but two lovers and he had never thought what consequences it would bring to their own relationship.

He also realized that he could not ask Hephaestion to be faithful as he had been the first to cheat on him, even if that kind of behaviour was expected from young men, and especially from him, a man in a powerful position.

Alexander walked towards Hephaestion and he could clearly see how his brunette stiffen in his presence, but not in the funny way they used to enjoy together. He set a hand in the small of Hephaestion's back to show everyone who he belonged to, but Hephaestion would not tolerate that at all. The brunette slowly turned round and looked at Alexander in his eyes and then he let his own cold eyes drop to the hand still on his back. He then looked upwards once more and the prince let his hand fall as if Hephaestion's back were on fire.

Hephaestion continued with his conversation and Alexander remained in silence, by his side, like a kicked puppy, but after being ignored by his mate, he decided to go back to the house where two willing bodies would be happy to see him.

What Alexander did not know was that the gods were very angry with him and they were about to punish him for violating his bonding vows.

The great prince who was truly passionate and a good lover could not perform once that night; his manhood was completely flaccid and in spite of all the tricks his eastern lovers practiced on him, he could not get hard at all. The blonde prince attributed it to his bad mood and tiredness but that night he slept alone in a cold big bed. But Morpheus did not grant him the so much needed rest so he twisted and turned all night long and his anxiety grew and grew with every passing hour when he did not hear his mate coming back.

It was dawn when he realized that it would be pointless to stay in bed when he was unable to sleep so he got up and went to the kitchen for something to eat. He found that their cook was already up and working so he asked her for some milk and bread, a simple breakfast he had not had in a long time. She just nodded and he really missed her morning blabbing and chattering and he finally realized how many little things he had lost due to his selfish attitude.

"Have you seen Hephaestion, Athina?"

"Yes, sire" she answered but continued kneading the dough for the bread.

"Is he here now?" he asked again.

"No sire, he left in a scout mission" she replied.

"But he is not a scout"

"No, but he is the one who had been drawing the maps of the latest missions" she explained and Alexander realized that he no longer knew what his mate was doing those days.

"Did he leave a note for me?"

"No sire, he just told me to tell you that if you asked" she replied and her tone of voice was tense.

"Why wouldn't I ask about him being here or not?" Alexander asked seriously.

"Because you don't care about him?" Athina said boldly.

"I do care about him, I love him" the prince almost shouted.

"Well, but you do have a very strange way of showing him that" the cook stated.

"Why do you say that?"

"How would you feel if he, after a long absence, brought back not one but two lovers to live under your same roof and he shared his body with them every night, in spite of having been together for the last ten years?"

"I would understand him" he replied nervously, not even believing his own words.

"Would you? How understanding, my prince. So I was wrong, sorry for my mistake" and she left the kitchen, whispering about idiotic princes.

Alexander just nodded and he stopped eating because he felt a big lump inside his throat that was threatening to chock him.

Alexander was about to leave the house towards the palace when one of his lovers appeared, Nima rubbed her nether regions against the prince's thigh but nothing happened, it seemed as if Alexander was dead from the waist downwards.

The same happened later with his male lover Farid and with every person he had encountered that day and who used to provoke, even a slight reaction, in him.

Alexander was feeling distracted and frustrated and the images of his mate tortured him; he saw Hephaestion wherever he went and at night his mind was filled with very sexy images of his partner. But Hephaestion was never with him but with other lovers, male and female, and it seemed as if he was having a very good time while being in their arms and bed.

Alexander felt his body stiffen and he thanked the gods for recovering his sex drive but as soon as his right hand caught his hard rock cock in it, it went flaccid and hanging softly between his legs.

Seven days had gone by with the same result and his lovers were getting impatient, in fact they had subtlety let him know that they were seriously looking for another master who would be able to take care of their needs.

When Alexander realized about their selfish feelings for him, he released the servants to their own fate and prohibited them to come back to him. He immediately decided to look for a solution to his problem.

Zeus elbowed Aphrodite and smiled broadly; it seemed as if their stubborn Macedonian prince was beginning to understand what the problem was. However, they did not lift the punishment, Alexander had to learn that his fate and happiness was tied to Hephaestion's destiny and that he would suffer deeply if he dared to hurt the brunette.

Hephaestion arrived late on the eight evening, covered in dust and feeling dead on his feet. It had been a very difficult trip due to the inaccessibility of the terrain in some parts and the large quantity of wild animals, poisonous snakes and insects that were swarming around during the nighttime, that only made their rest more difficult that it normally was.

Hephaestion entered the house quietly, he did not want to wake anyone but that was unnecessary because Alexander was still up and waiting for him. Earlier in the afternoon, he had had news about his mate's return and so he had not gone to bed in order to be awake when he got home.

Hephaestion froze in the spot for thirty seconds but then he went on walking towards the kitchen table and grabbed an apple from the tray resting there. He took a big bite and munched it slowly as if he wanted to gain some time.

"How was the trip?" Alexander asked in a whisper.

"Hard" Hephaestion replied drily.

"Do you want something else to eat?" he asked again, trying to keep the conversation going.

"This is enough" the brunette said showing the apple in his hand.

"Hephaestion, I am really so.." but he was interrupted by a serious blue-eyed man.

"Don't!" he nearly shouted.

"But I want …." the prince tried again.

"Yes, it is always about what you want and need but not this time; I am tired and I have nothing to talk to you now" he said and turning round, he left the kitchen towards his room.

Alexander realized that he would have to work hard to have Hephaestion's forgiveness if he ever got it back.

* * *

The following morning, Hephaestion slept in and he had breakfast alone. He thought it was strange that none of Alexander's lovers had appeared to gloat at him but he had decided that he would not say or ask a thing about that. He was also thinking to request king Philip to let him go back to his former chamber in the palace and then he would tell Alexander that their bonding vows were void. He looked at the gold bracelet that he was still wearing and sighed; he could not deny that he was still in love with Alexander but he had to think what the best for him was.

Zeus and Aphrodite were no longer smiling, Alexander needed Hephaestion by his side to become one of the greatest rulers of all and Hephaestion needed Alexander because between them they would create something that had never been done before.

Both gods spent the whole day looking for a solution but none appeared to be the best because some of them solved a part of the problem but not the other.

In the meantime, Alexander started to get hard whenever he was near Hephaestion but it took just a single side look to any other to go soft again. The constant unresolved sexual tension was driving the prince crazy and everyone had realized that something was wrong with him but no one dared to ask.

Hephaestion informed King Philip about his findings during the scout mission and he also showed him the drafts of the maps he had drawn during the trip.

Hephaestion was more and more decided to end their bonding vows but he wanted to find the best moment to do it; however, he would start showing his decision by removing his bonding bracelet. King Philip had asked him about the lack of his bracelet and Hephaestion had answered him with the truth. Philip said nothing at first but then he asked him not to rush any permanent decision based on a temporal temper.

The second person to see the missing bracelet was the very same Alexander who immediately looked at his own left wrist and he was astonished to notice that his own was also missing, but what surprised him the most was that he could not remember when he had taken it off.

More and more people realized about the missing bracelet and many felt their hope rise with the idea of the brunette being free of that bonding and on the market again, but only a few dared to ask about its absence. However, Hephaestion did not answer at all, claiming that it was none of their business.

Alexander sat next to Hephaestion, in spite of the suffering of having his constant cock swollen, and tried to make small talk with him. Hephaestion, always being polite, answered his questions briefly but nothing else. Alexander felt more and more devastated and his frustration was reaching its highest level. He realized that he needed to make it up to Hephaestion for all his faults and he would start by courting him, as he had always deserved.

A new Olympian decided to enter the game and who better than a woman to teach these two stubborn men about true love.

The day was going smoothly when Alexander decided to take some time for himself outside the palace while the rest of the companions took a nap to avoid the hot weather. He headed to the river and he was wetting his feet on the shore when he saw a beautiful woman coming out of the water. She was not a nymph, she was not young enough to be one; she looked like more an adult woman with wisdom in her brilliant green eyes.

"Joy to you, young Alexander" she greeted and Alexander felt warmth invading and nestling in his heart.

"Joy to you, milady. Excuse have we met before?" Alexander asked shyly and he realized that he had not been turned on by her semi naked appearance.

"Of course, I was there when you were born and I also was when your mate was born some months before you" she explained while walking towards him and Alexander saw how her transparent and wet tunic turned into a dry bright green peplos.

"I'm sorry but I cannot remembered you, milady" the young man tried to apologize.

"Don't worry, I am Hera, Zeus's wife and protector of marriage" she announced gently while sitting next to him.

"My goddess, what can I do to help you?" Alexander asked humbly.

"I am here to help you, son. You are about to lose your mate and I won't let that happen" she said firmly.

"I know, I have made so many mistakes but now I don't know what to do to get him back" Alexander said, sounding quite desperate.

"First of all, you should try to get his trust back; you must make him fall in love with you again and show him real remorse because if it is not true, you will lose him forever and no one else will come to help you again. If you do things well this time, you may have a second chance" she said.

The talk between them lasted a long time and when the goddess was gone, Alexander had a clearer idea of what he had to do. He went back to their house and prepared things.

Hephaestion was still in a meeting with his king when he felt a kind of nudge inside his head, it turned so intense that king Philip could easily see that Hephaestion was getting distracted; he finally realized that he had had the young diplomat speaking for a long time and that he was clearly showing signs of exhaustion.

He made Hephaestion go home to rest but the brunette was not eager to go back at all; he knew that he would find Alexander and his lovers together and he did not know how longer he would tolerate that. To his surprise, while he was walking home, an old woman appeared form nowhere and gently asked for his help in carrying a heavy basket. Hephaestion took it in one of his arms while he gave his other arm to the old woman to hold herself better.

The old woman started to talk about her husband, his many infidelities and how much he had hurt her. Hephaestion politely asked if she was still married to him and she nodded. The brunette was puzzled with her answer and asked why she had stayed with him if he was such a bad husband. She looked at him into his eyes and replied that marriage was like farm work, you had to work hard to see its fruits; sometimes they were many, sometimes they were very few but every time they had been worth because love was the feeling that created them.

Hephaestion let her words seep into his heart and mind and things appeared to seem different when you looked at them under a different light. He realized that Alexander had been trying to get to him since his return from the scout mission but he had done it in the wrong way. Hephaestion decided that he would try to listen to his mate once more before breaking their bonding vows.

The old lady patted his cheek and a feeling of trust and clarity set in his mind. As soon as he left the old woman at the corner of her house, he felt the need to go back to his house and try to sort things out with Alexander. He turned round to thank the woman's advice once more but she had already disappeared. That was very strange because the woman had been walking too slow and he knew that she would not have been able to walk so fast. Laughter was heard in the air and his eagerness to go home was stronger.

Hephaestion entered the house and found Alexander with their cook; the prince was taking some instructions from the old cook and she was not being very polite to him. He greeted them and asked what they were doing and Alexander said that he was learning how to cook some sweet treats that happened to be Hephaestion's favourite ones. After explaining that, Hephaestion saw Alexander blush and deepened his fingers in the dough with an uncertain look in his two coloured eyes. None of his lovers were seen nearby so it had to be true that they had abandoned Alexander and moved with another master; Hephaestion felt his heart jump inside his chest and hope nestled inside it. As a sign of his good will, the brunette offered to roast some boar meat in the back while they finished in the kitchen. The poor cook looked at them and shook her head without being able to understand what was happening between her two lords.

The evening meal was over when both men had eaten big helpings of roasted meat and vegetables. Alexander brought his sweet treats to the table and Hephaestion immediately realized that they did not look at all as his cook's used to look like. Nevertheless, Hephaestion took one of them and it dawned on him that it was as hard as a rock; as Alexander's cock had been since the moment Hephaestion had crossed their front door. He cut it in halves to eat it better and took a bite. Not only were they hard but also tasteless. However, Hephaestion thanked Alexander for his effort but the prince was not convinced at all; his mate used to make some loud noises when he enjoyed something.

Alexander tried to touch Hephaestion, in fact he wanted to brush off some crumbs that were stuck on one side of the brunette's lips but the brunette moved backwards fast. Alexander could not hide the pain he felt and Hephaestion was about to apologize for his rude behaviour but thinking it better, he did not because he was still feeling frustrated and disappointed.

A sad Alexander stood up and started to gather the things; he had tried hard but nothing had been alright. Hephaestion patted Alexander's arm to call his attention and when the prince lifted his gaze, the brunette could clearly see Alexander's remorse in his two coloured eyes. Hephaestion's heart softened a bit and when Alexander tried to get away, Hephaestion engulfed him in a tender hug and Alexander broke down in tears, crying his heart out while begging for his mate's forgiveness. Hephaestion had never thought he would see Alexander like that; the prince was too proud to show weakness but he also realized that the blonde could not hide his true nature to him.

Hephaestion let him compose again and told Alexander that he would forgive him, with time, but that he would never forget what he had done to him. Alexander looked at him and whispered his thanks before going back to their room alone.

The young diplomat went back to his room and he felt his sleep invaded by sad images of Alexander and himself; in them, they were apart because Hephaestion had finally decided to end their bonding. Hephaestion felt pain in his heart and he knew he was being a bit tough and rude to his mate. The shocking images made him wake up; he decided to get up from his bed and sneaked inside his former room. As soon as he crossed the door, he heard muffled sobs coming from the fetal-shaped lump on the bed.

The brunette approached the big and cold bed and pushing the clothes aside, he slid between the sheets and took Alexander's body in his arms. The prince released a long and low sigh and snuggled against the warm body and, for the first time in the last month, he was not turned on by his mate's tempting body. Hephaestion whispered reassurance words in his ear and he held his partner tight against his broad chest. Alexander fell into a deep sleep and Hera sent him more advices to get his mate back.

Meanwhile, a presence by his side awoke Hephaestion and he could see the same goddess standing by his bedside. He was about to move but she stopped him and told him about the sincerity in his mate's feelings and explained the importance of their reconciliation. Hera told him that she would grant him a very special gift, so special that it would give birth to a remarkable and unique thing. She touched Hephaestion's chest and his lower stomach giving him peace and life. She whispered more words and then disappeared, leaving both men asleep in each other's arms.

The following morning, Alexander woke up first and he suddenly realized that he was being held against a warm and male body. He panicked, thinking that his former male lover Farid had come back and entered his bed. He turned round and found a pair of cerulean eyes looking back at him and a tiny smile was gracing a pair of tempting pinkish lips.

"Joy to you, Xander" Hephaestion greeted his mate.

"Joy to you, Hephaestion. I am sorry, I did not mean to be here … I don't even recall coming to your bed and now you …" the prince was stuttering and his nerves were all over the place.

"Look around Alexander, this is our room" Hephaestion explained carefully and slowly to let Alexander understand what was happening.

"Oh I see, Our room" he whispered and a tiny flame of hope revived in his heart.

"Are you angry that I am here?" Hephaestion asked a bit anxiously.

"No, of course not, but I thought that you did not want to have anything with me anymore and …"

The prince's babbling was interrupted by a quick peck on his lips that left him astonished.

"I want to make this work Alexander, but you have to tell me if you are ready to focus on us and our problems as we had promised each other some years ago" the brunette seriously asked.

"I am, Phai; I have realized about my many mistakes and I have already been punished by the Olympians; however the merciful Hera gave me the strength to recognize my mistakes and some very useful pieces of advice to try to get you back" Alexander explained.

"It seems that Hera had been very busy lately; she also visited me and made me see some situations that I was too blinded by my anger to understand them. So what about we take little steps and rebuild our partnership?" Hephaestion asked.

"You don't have to ask me twice" Alexander replied and feeling more relaxed, the prince sealed their promise with a chaste kiss.


	26. Day 25

_**Day twenty five: Kingdom and Conquests.**_

Alexander and Hephaestion were 25 years old and they had been bonded for the last five years. They had had serious problems and they were about to break up their bows but they had luckily solved their problems. It had taken more than a year until Hephaestion could see that his mate had been saying the truth about his wish to be together; the blonde prince had not taken any lover and his full attention was only focused on his partner; a true feat for someone as passionate and tactile as he was.

Hephaestion's heart softened a little bit with every single action that Alexander did because they had always the same goal, getting the brunette's trust back and making him fall in love with him again. A year later, they had finally become stronger and risen as only one mind, body and soul.

They grew not only as a bonded and faithful couple but also as soldiers. Alexander went on adding extraordinary and innovative ideas that made of him an excellent tactician while his partner continued adding successful diplomatic missions due to his gentle manners, quick mind and fair treatment.

* * *

In spite of being one of the most powerful forces, Macedon had not been able to subdue Persia under its control and that was driving king Philip crazy. Due to that, he had decided to take a few days off in order to visit his daughter. Queen Olympias had agreed to go with him as she was planning to stay with her daughter for the rest of Cleopatra's pregnancy. The young queen had asked for his parents' visit as she was unable to leave her bed rest in order to avoid a very possible miscarriage.

The Macedonian king and queen started their journey without any problem; they had reached an agreement between them and Olympias had promised to support him in spite of his strange ideas and conviction. The royal couple was getting old and Olympias had realized that her selfish attitude had kept her apart from her own children while Philip had enjoyed the frequent visits of both of their children.

The caravan was making a good time through the woods and, if things remained like that, they would arrive in the appointed time.

Suddenly, a soft and nearly imperceptible sound of an arrow alerted one of the guards but it was too late to raise the alarm. Many men attacked the caravan, slaughtering the guards first. The attackers were rebels from conquered lands that had sworn to take revenge on the Macedonian king. Five of the men were clearly the leaders and the ones that took the control of the last part of the assault. Without mercy, they passed the royal couple through their swords while giving the loudest shouts of victory ever heard in that part of the woods.

It was bloodshed and even though they knew it would bring consequences, those five men enjoyed every single minute of their victory. They were very thorough in the search of survivors to avoid someone from spreading the news before they had reached their safe hidden place. They found no survivors and feeling powerful and invincible, they left the corpses there to rotten or be eaten by the animals.

Young queen Cleopatra was very anxious, her parents should have arrived in the early morning but there was no news of the caravan. Her husband, who was also worried due to the importance of his parents-in-law, sent a search party when midday arrived and there was still no word of them.

Seven hours later, half of the search party returned to the small palace bringing very bad news; the rest of the party had stayed at the place, looking after the corpses and preparing them for their move.

Cleopatra's husband went back himself with the scouts and brought the corpses back, giving them the full respect they deserved.

As soon as he arrived back the second time, he gently woke up his pregnant wife, who had fallen asleep with the help of a sedative concoction, and told her the bad news, hugging her tight while she cried bitter tears of pain and despair. When she could calm down a bit, the king sent a messenger to Macedon, he needed to alert Alexander about what had happened.

* * *

A day later, Alexander and Hephaestion were ridding towards the palace in Epirus and as soon as they arrived and talked to king Alexander and the search party, they started to think what they would do. They had to think quickly but carefully because if the kingdom enemies found out about the royal couple's assassination, they could revolt and think about liberating from the Macedonian tight control.

Hephaestion, who could be a bit quieter, in spite of mourning his king and queen, came up with an idea; Alexander had to take control of the kingdom immediately; he was Philip's chosen heir and he had in his power a letter that ratified that decision. None would doubt that decision and Alexander was well known, not only in Macedon but also in the nearby lands and conquered cities.

Alexander took the bodies back to Macedon and made the royal architects build the biggest pyre they had ever built until that moment. When everything was ready, they celebrated the funeral rites for ten long days, giving the people, the opportunity to mourn their king and queen and to pay their respect to the new king.

With sadness in his heart, Alexander buried his parents and at 26 he became king of Macedon. His first action as king was to look for the assassins and even though he knew it would be quite difficult, he decided that he would spend the rest of his life, if it were necessary, until he caught them and punished them.

In the meantime, Hephaestion had started to look for any sign that could indicate a prospective revolt; he discovered none and he breathed more calmly; he already knew that Alexander was respected by his own people and he had also been quite logical whenever he had had the opportunity to deal with the defeated.

The search for the killers had been quite thorough, the king's men had combed the area near the attack to get some clues and even extended to the surroundings lands; unfortunately, it had not brought the desired results. However, help suddenly came from the less expected side.

* * *

Theron, Hephaestion's former suitor, had been travelling along the eastern lands, as it was common for him when he heard something that surprised him.

The young merchant had stopped at an inn to let his horses rest and he also wanted to rest on a comfortable bed instead of on the hard makeshift bed he had in his cart.

He had entered the common room to ask for some wine and a light dinner when a group of five rude men were speaking loudly about their latest work and their definitive success. Theron heard Olympias and Philip's names and his blood turned cold. He started to listen to them with more attention and he could catch some words about how the one eyed old king had tried to fight them all so they could not reach his wife. Two men gloated over the fact that they had disfigured the former beautiful woman while the other three gutted the old king in front of her eyes. Theron had to mask his disgust at what he was hearing, luckily he had been able to understand every single word of the foreign language the men were speaking and he decided to put into practice his limited drawing skills, sketching roughly the faces of the murderers as well as their names and some other characteristics.

He asked the owner of the inn if he had a fast and responsible messenger and a young boy was sent his way. He gave him a letter that included the sketches as much info as he had been able to catch from the assassins' conversation. Macedon's capital city was at one-day travel but he paid some extra coins to arrive there earlier.

The messenger arrived in the early afternoon after ridding at a fast gallop for nearly fifteen hours. He was immediately led to the palace where he waited for the king to come and see him. Alexander was working in his chamber, trying to think new ways of catching those men, when his guards announced him the arrival of the messenger with important news.

As soon as the new king read the letter, he thanked the messenger and sent him to the kitchen to have a well-deserved meal and some rest. He turned round and running towards Hephaestion's desk, he showed him the letter and asked him to prepare his best men because they would go in search of the assassins immediately.

Alexander went back to the kitchen and asked the messenger to go back with instructions for Theron; he added that one of his own bodyguards would go with him to protect not only him but also the merchant. The small party left the palace three hours later, they had prepared themselves for any inconvenient that they could have thought and they rode quickly to gain some of the lost time.

Luckily, for the king and his men, the five assassins were still at the inn because they were waiting for further instructions from their chief and because the generous and rich merchant had been inviting them with lots of good unwatered wine and the best meat they had been able to eat in a long time.

Some of the king men entered the place and, assessing the situation, decided to wait until the day meal was over; there were many people having their lunch and they did not want to hurt any innocent. The inn was nearly empty so the five men decided to go and sleep their drunkenness but Theron offered to go and bring a jar of a new wine he had been reserving for them. As soon as the merchant was safe on the other side of the door, the king's men entered the palace. The still inebriated men did not know what hit them; in their poor state, they were no rivals to the angry companions and their king and they were caught while they were finishing their meal and still gloating over their kill.

Alexander, who had always been controlled when dealing with war prisoners, showed no mercy to them; he killed them with his own sword and they were also beheaded.

He was going to teach the world a lesson with that action; the rest of the peoples would learn that no one messed with the young Macedonian king and went unpunished.

Theron did not participate directly in the fight but he joined the men when it was over. Alexander thanked him profusely and, even though he still felt a bit uncomfortable in his presence, he asked Theron to go back to Macedon with them.

* * *

The king and his men returned to the palace with their trophies, five heads that would be left on pikes at the palace gates to be seen and be eaten by the animals.

With the punishment to his parents' assassins, Alexander could have his closure and Hephaestion provided him with the so needed calmness and love that only a faithful and caring partner could give.

Due to Hephaestion's anticipated damage control, none of the conquered cities had dared to fight back or rebel. Hephaestion thanked Theron for his help and he realized that the merchant was a true friend; a man who had been important to him and he kept good memories of their short time together.

Theron and Hephaestion were speaking under Alexander's hawk eyes; he knew that Hephaestion was his but Theron had been the only one to be successful in luring his brunette away from him.

Quick footsteps were heard and a young woman with red hair entered the Throne room and hugged the king tightly. Hephaestion's cerulean eyes became two narrow slits at that vision but he suddenly realized who that woman was; it was Megara, their old friend, who had not been able to be for the royal couple's funeral as she had been travelling far away.

When Hephaestion turned round to go on speaking with Theron, he realized that his former suitor was no longer paying him attention and that he was out of words. The young merchant was looking at Megara as if she were the most enticing vision he had ever seen. Meanwhile, Megara felt someone looking at her and she supposed it was the king's partner. She ended the hug and turned round but instead of finding blue eyes, she found herself looking at a stranger with lovely green eyes and a very handsome face.

Hephaestion looked at this king and mate and smiled; it seemed as if their best friends had found their soul mates.

Theron and Megara walked towards each other, attracted to one another, as a pair of magnets, and finally met half way and it was as if the world had stopped spinning in its axis. They looked at each other for a long time before they introduced themselves. The king and his mate approached them and they could easily see the beginning of a beautiful relationship between them. Megara, the always-combative red-haired woman, had found her match in the ever-quiet merchant but both of them were equally eager for fun and adventures.

A week had gone by and, after spending those days among friends, Megara left with Theron who was heading towards Egypt to buy some cotton, gold and lapis lazuli. The new couple left their Macedonian friends with the promise of a future visit.

The assassins had been dealt with, the kingdom was still strong and in one piece so Alexander asked Hephaestion for his opinion on a very important topic. When the brunette told him that he would follow him up to the end of the world and beyond; feeling stronger, Alexander decided to call his companions for a meeting to discuss the future plans.

Alexander told them about his expansionist ideas, not only by conquering new lands but also by spreading their culture. He had always dreamed about having an empire but he also knew that ruling a big territory would also imply neglect other things; he was ready to expand but only in a control way. He knew that Hephaestion, his ever present voice of reason would tell him when enough was truly enough.

Just like that, Alexander started to expand their "frog's pond" as Aristotle had called Greece once, and conquered the East, always remembering that it had been the Greek dream to conquer those exotic lands, but he never forgot another warning from their master when he had warned him that the East had the ability to devour men and their dreams.

Having those ideas always in mind, the Macedonian army started his journey towards the East, conquering the Persian Empire after some spectacular battles. Alexander imposed his own war tactics and the army was unbeatable. When the Persian king fell to his knees, Alexander felt the ruler of the world but he wisely decided to stay in Babylon and consolidate his position.

At 27, Alexander was, without any doubt, the ruler of the known world; his army had conquered the eastern peoples and settled down along the empire; cities were founded and the Macedonian culture spread along the whole territory but Alexander had encouraged to adopt the different peoples' knowledge without forgetting their own roots.

Hephaestion, as usual, showed his efficiency and easily brought, under Alexander's command all the conquered territories, sorting problems of coexistence, choosing among the locals, their rulers who were truly devoted to king Alexander.

In the opening of the harvest festival, Hephaestion was declared Philoalexandros and the tiny bundle that had been born 27 years ago had finally reached the bright future his mother had predicted at his birth.


	27. Day 26

**Day Twenty six: Hope.**

It was uncommon for Hephaestion to lie in but he had been doing that for the last fortnight. He had always been an early riser but he had been having problems with that lately. Alexander was getting extra fun with his mate's reluctance to wake up in the morning so he let him lie in until he was fully rested.

However, one morning Alexander was already up and reading a book when he listened to Hephaestion getting up from their bed and ran towards the inner chamber. Sounds of retching could be clearly heard so the king ran towards him and found Hephaestion with his head deep inside a pot and vomiting yesterdays' dinner.

Alexander caught Hephaestion's long tresses in one hand and set his other arm around Hephaestion's waist. When the heaves were over, he helped his lover to stand up and offered a wet cloth to clean the layer of sweat that was covering his face and a glass of cold water to wash his mouth and get rid of the awful taste.

Alexander was no longer amused; he always got nervous whenever his brunette was ill because nowadays it was not frequent but it reminded him of that time when his mate almost died when he was a child.

Ten minutes later, Hephaestion ran to the bathroom again and vomited his guts out, but that time there was only liquid. After Alexander helped him once more, he made him go back to bed and immediately asked one of the guards still posted outside the royal chamber to call the doctor.

The old man arrived there quickly and he was taken to Hephaestion's bedside. He looked at the man thoroughly but he could not find anything wrong with him. In fact, Hephaestion was looking quite healthy and the pale complexion that Alexander had talked about had clearly disappeared, giving way to his normal tanned skin.

A week went by and Hephaestion was as bright as rain again, however their loyal cook Athina had discovered missing fruits and sweets; at first, she thought there were mice in the palace kitchen but she knew it was quite impossible as all the rooms were cleaned thoroughly. She thought that there might be a thief, one of those street boys who had managed to enter to many other places before. Instead of reporting the missing goods, she tried to catch the thief all by herself. One night she had hidden in the shadows after leaving a tray filled with just-baked cookies to cool in the windowsill. She heard a noise and saw some movement near the cookies tray. She was about to hit the thief with a wooden bar she used to knead when she saw a pair of guilty blue eyes and a mouth full of oatmeal cookies. She looked at Hephaestion in the eye and smiled. The thief was no other than the king's partner and the Macedonian chiliarch! The brunette had been caught with a pile of cookies in one hand and two red apples in the other.

Hephaestion finished eating the stolen cookie that was inside his mouth and swallowed it quickly. He suddenly blushed with embarrassment and Athina made him sit. She warmed some milk, sweetened it with a big dollop of honey and set the big cup in front of him.

"If you were a woman, Sire, I would say that you were expecting"

Hephaestion looked at her with horror in his eyes but then a warm feeling pooled in his lower stomach and one of his hands immediately set over his belly in a protective way.

Cook and General remained in silence for a while and the brunette concentrated in sipping his hot drink while polishing the rest of the cookies.

"Would it be a bad thing, Sire?" Athina asked seriously.

"What thing?" he asked but he already knew what she was referring to.

"Being with child" she said plainly.

"Well, first of all, it is not wrong to be with child but in my case, it is quite impossible, I don't have the right equipment for that" the man said laughing, but he was clearly hiding his frustration.

"But didn't you have a visit from Hera?" Athina asked as if goddesses' visits were something common.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with me?" Hephaestion asked, still in the dark.

"Hera is the protector of marriage and children are the product of marriage" she stated.

"Do you think Hera did this?" Hephaestion asked and he did not try to hide his hope.

"Well, it could be, Hera always knows what our greatest and deepest feelings are. Do you want to have children, Sire?" she asked.

"Well, I think I do but when I bonded with the king, I renounced to that idea, but deep down inside my heart, I have always wanted to give Alexander our own children" Hephaestion confessed.

"If I were you, I would look for a midwife, they know who is pregnant just by looking at the body" Athina said even though she was convinced that there was life already growing inside the blue-eyed man.

"I will do that, thanks Athina. I will go back to bed now" Hephaestion said and, on an impulse, kissed the old woman's cheek making her blush.

The brunette was about to cross the kitchen door when a gentle hand on his back stopped him. He turned round and found Athina with a piece of folded cloth. Shed gave it to him and said:

"Take these with you in case you feel a craving on the way back"

Hephaestion just smiled while munching on his new acquired cookies.

The following day started as the previous weeks had, with Hephaestion's head deep inside the bathroom basin and bringing up. The brunette sighed deeply because he thought that that had stopped but it had only given him a week's break. As usual, Alexander was by his side helping him but he was more worried than before and he decided that he would call the doctor again to check on his mate, no matter if Hephaestion wanted or not.

They were on their way towards the dining room when they met an old woman who had been walking slowly beside two armed guards. The old woman looked poor but her clothes were extremely clean as well as the rest of her appearance. As soon as she saw in the distance the royal couple, her eyes got an extra brightness. She stopped her slow walking and when Alexander and Hephaestion were about to stop to ask what was happening, the old woman fell on her knees and reverently kissed the hem of Hephaestion's chiton. The brunette immediately helped the woman on her feet and asked if she was feeling well. The old woman caressed the clean-shaven cheek and said:

" My prayers had been listened and now I would be able to see with my own eyes the miracle I have been seeing only in my dreams for the last fifty years"

"I am sorry but I don't understand what you're saying" Hephaestion said with respect.

"My sire, since I was a little child I have had the gift of foreseeing and I have never been wrong. When I was ten years old, I started to dream about a baby with sky blue eyes; at first the images were blurry but as years went by, they became clearer and I could not only see the baby but also the parents" she said and stopped to let the information enter the men's mind.

"What does your dream have to do with us?" Alexander asked.

My king, your chiliarch is the man of my dreams, he will carry your child, my king, a baby with sky blue eyes and golden hair" the woman explained.

"But Hephaestion is a man, how could that be possible?" Alexander asked again.

"That is true but he had been blessed by the Olympians and by Hera in particular" she stated.

"Are you sure'" Hephaestion asked.

"Yes, Sire; my heart jumped inside my chest as soon as I saw you and I know that you already were suspicious" the old woman said smiling broadly.

"Is that true, Phai?" Alexander asked with a strange look in his eyes.

"Maybe ... Athina told me that pregnant women have the same symptoms I have and lately I …"

"You have felt like tiny butterflies inside your stomach and the need of covering your stomach with your hands, haven't you?" the woman asked.

"I have noticed that, your right hand is always caressing your lower belly and when it is not moving it is resting there as if it were a tiny shield" Alexander said and a bright smile appeared on his face.

"Aren't you angry, my king?" Hephaestion asked, his cerulean eyes cast down.

"Not at all, you will be able to give me the deepest desire of my heart and knowing that this baby will be truly ours in flesh and blood is a true gift from the gods"

"So my job is done here, Sires, don't doubt to call me if you need my help" the woman said and left the place after a heartfelt thanks but she could also realize that both men were eager to celebrate their news and the miracle that was about to be born.

Alexander turned round and took Hephaestion in his arms gently. He hid his nose among the bronze tresses and rested his face onto Hephaestion's shoulder.

After some minutes of hugging each other, Alexander kissed Hephaestion tenderly and whispered against his mate's lips a string of "thank yous" followed by thousands of "I love yous". Hephaestion blushed deeply and hugged Alexander once more before they started to walk again towards the dining room.

"Look at that, the pretty boy is all flushed; the king must have snooged him behind the curtains" Cleitus said laughing loudly but there was no malice behind the statement.

Hephaestion looked at Alexander and the king immediately understood what the brunette was asking him for, in that silent way of communication that both men had developed along the years. The brunette was asking for the king's silence, he really wanted to have time to celebrate about their good news on their own and if the new was not known, the baby would be longer theirs than the future Macedonian heir.

Then both young men laughed at the black warrior and Hephaestion told him that he was jealous because he was not the one with bruised lips. The elder man laughed at the brunette's boldness and offered him a goblet of wine. The young chiliarch refused it saying that he would be taking some milk instead. Cleitus looked at him as if the very same gates of Tartarus had opened but he changed the goblet for the requested one, anyway.

A pair of blue eyes, the wrong hue and without Hephaestion's warmth, looked at the royal couple with envy and then they immediately became two thin slits. Cassander knew that there was something going on between the king and his mate and he would find what it was.

The morning meal was over and they were standing up to go and do their different duties when Hephaestion felt a bit dizzy and missed his step. Alexander immediately supported him by placing a hand round the slender waist and taking Hephaestion's hand in his other one.

Cassander saw that tender gesture but he also realized that Alexander was worried about Hephaestion. The brunette batted the king's hands and he looked at him with annoyance, thinking that he was pregnant but not a woman in danger. The idea of being pregnant warmed his heart and his eyes immediately acquired a dreamy look. Alexander understood why Hephaestion did that; he knew that his mate disliked being considered weak and he would have to remember that if he did not want to be sleeping in another room for the following months.

The day went on without any further incident, no morning sickness ruined the brunette's happiness, and it went on like that for many days. The man thought that his sickness stopped as soon as he assumed that he was pregnant and accepted it gladly.

Alexander was more attentive than ever; his true love and life partner was going to give him the so much desired heir and he could not have asked a better person to grant him that gift.

The brunette went on with his duties as if nothing were happening inside him. There were no visual or external changes but he had started to spot some differences; for example he felt more excited whenever Alexander was near, in fact, the passionate blue-eyed man had dragged Alexander to their chamber by mid-morning and made love to him with so much need that Alexander came after very few thrusts, with his lover's name on his lips.

While they were resting after their intense lovemaking, Alexander caressed Hephaestion's belly with his lips, whispering something against the skin.

"What are you doing, my king?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"I am speaking to our baby, my love" Alexander answered but he continued with his whisperings.

"What are you telling our baby?" Hephaestion asked interested.

"That it is a miracle and a gift from the gods, as you also were to me; that it will have the best father in the world and that his other father will do up to the impossible to take care of both of them" Alexander said, lifting his eyes and looking into his mate's.

"Do you think it can hear us?" Hephaestion asked seriously, it was still a mystery how life developed inside a womb.

"I am sure it can, but if it can't, I don't care; I feel the need to talk to it, tell it about us and how much it will be loved" Alexander stated.

"I already love it, just because it is ours. You know that I think my belly skin is getting softer" Hephaestion said while caressing his lower belly.

"Softer? I don't feel it that way" Alexander said caressing the same area but getting a needy groan in response to the caress.

"Stop that or we will be having round two very soon. Well, maybe not softer but thinner; it will have to stretch a lot and my abs and stomach muscles are quite toned so …" Hephaestion's explanation was interrupted.

"Quite, they are very toned … Phai, I have not considered all the changes your body will suffer. Will you be alright, love?" Alexander asked really worried, it was wonderful to have a baby but not if it turned dangerous or life threatening to his gorgeous Phai.

"I am sure I will be fine. Hera would not have granted me this huge gift to take it from us or me later" Hephaestion said, setting his cheek onto Alexander's chest and dozing off.

Alexander left Hephaestion sleep for two hours, during which he spent looking at him. Alexander set his hand over Hephaestion's belly and whispered

"I won't let anything happen to you or your father, poor the one who dares to touch any of you!"

Hephaestion stretched his arms over his head and twisted his strong and long frame as if he were a cat; the vision was so sexy and exciting that Alexander could not help taking care of his lover through a long and slow lovemaking.

When round two was over, Alexander got up and fetched a damp cloth to clean them both and once they were ready, they went to the dining room where they ate a hearty lunch. Hephaestion was enjoying the meat and vegetables too much; when he served a second helping, as big as his previous one, Cassander shouted from the opposite side of the table:

"Watch what you are eating, General Amyntoros, or soon your armor won't fit you"

Hephaestion blushed immediately and left his plate untouched. Alexander threw a lethal look towards the rude companion and he was about to comfort this mate but he stopped; he just set his hand on the brunette's knee and gave it a gentle and quick squeeze. Hephaestion looked at Alexander and took a bite of the food resting on his plate.

"Thanks for the advice, General, I will take care of that if the time comes" and after that he took a bigger bite.

Hephaestion realized that he had been feeling more confident lately; he attributed it to the fact that his baby would need a stronger father that he already was. He felt happy and knew that everything was going to be all right.

As he felt so well, he started to do as many things as before so it meant that sometimes he was a bit careless, working long hours and resting very little. Alexander told him off but the brunette always answered that he was feeling well and that he should go and annoy someone else. However, he should have listened to his body, he had been having some cramps in his lower belly but he attributed it to his skin stretching but one morning, while he was coming back from a ride, he felt a stronger cramp and a searing pain made him dismount and threw him onto the grass. He grabbed his belly and then he felt blood coming out of his body. He tried to stop it but the flow was getting thicker and there was no way to cut it. Another cramp made him bent over and screamed loud. His breathing was coming out in short puffs of air and he thought he was going to die there, alone and cursing his unborn child with an early death. With extreme care, he knelt and asked the gods for help, he did not ask for him but for his child.

Zeus listened to his creation's prayers and decided that the young man needed his help. He induced a soft sleep to make him feel calmer and then boosted Hephaestion's extra life force, the one the very same Zeus had gifted him at his birth, to save the baby. Later, Hephaestion woke up from his dozing and saw that there was no blood or pain in his belly and he felt his unborn child kick him to let him know he was still alive. An eagle flew over Hephaestion's head, making repetitive circles until it soared near him and then went back to the sky. Hephaestion sent his thanks to Zeus because he was sure it had been he who had helped him to keep his baby.

As soon as he felt strong again, he walked back to the palace and went directly to bed. That was where Alexander found him two hours later and he smiled at the image he saw, his mate was sleeping on his side with his arms cradling his growing belly. Alexander took a second look and he realized that the tiny bump was more noticeable than that morning and he worried. He sat on the bed and Hephaestion woke up when he felt the change on the mattress. He immediately sat and retold Alexander what had happened to him. Alexander was so frantic that he was about to call the doctor to have him checked but Hephaestion explained that the almighty Zeus had taken care of everything. He also admitted that he would be more careful in the future and that they would have to tell the companions that they were expecting as the baby had had a significant growth in the last hours.

Alexander asked Hephaestion how he wanted to break the news to the companions and the brunette suggested that they asked for a meeting and they would tell them there.

The following morning, before breakfast, the companions entered the room and they found that Alexander was already there and that Hephaestion was by his side in his usual seat. They took their places and Craterous asked:

"What is so important that we were summoned before our morning meal?"

"What I am going to reveal is of vital importance, we must treat this with extreme care because it is not only important for me, in a personal level, but also for the empire future" Alexander said seriously.

"Well, cut up with the suspense, boy, and tell us so we can go and have some breakfast" Cleitus urged him.

"Well, I will let Hephaestion explain this" and saying that he looked as his mate with a confident smile.

"Since I was born, I have felt the presence of the Olympians in my life and in the most important moments, they had gifted me with their presence. That is how I got over a lethal illness when I was a child, I have a magic sword gifted by Hephaestus himself and I have been protected by Aphrodite many times along my life. Well, five months ago, I was visited by Hera and she gifted me the power to give birth" he stood up and let his cloak open.

The men gasped in astonishment when the 28-year-old chiliarch showed his swollen belly and they saw the slight movement inside it as if the future heir and prince wanted to show his presence.

"How do we know this not a con of yours?" Philotas asked.

"And what would I achieve with this ruse? Getting the king for myself?" Hephaestion asked, laughing at the stupid accusation.

"It is clear that you are expecting, is it alright?" Cleitus asked seriously, showing his concern about the future heir.

"The doctor and a midwife had already seen me; I had an attempt of miscarriage but once more the almighty Zeus came in my rescue and saved the baby" Hephaestion explained.

"Does this mean that you will stop working, loading us with more work?" Cassander said and his voice revealed his annoyance.

"Not at all, I will continue with my duties but I will not go into battle or do practice with the phalanx as I don't want to risk my life or the baby's in the first case or to get hurt or make you train slower" Hephaestion said, knowing what the other brunette was implying.

"Well, if there are no more questions, we can go and have our morning meal" Alexander said to their companions.

When Hephaestion was about to leave the room, Alexander stopped him and waited until the room was empty. He hugged Hephaestion tenderly and whispered his thanks against the brunette's lips. Hephaestion smiled and in silence followed their companions.

The day went on as the previous days however Hephaestion felt more eyes on him than usual. He knew that the revelation of his pregnancy would bring consequences and he would have to deal with them.

The closest companions were worried about Hephaestion's state but they were happy about it, even thought it was still difficult to understand how that had happened.

Another month went by and Hephaestion's bump continued growing more and more, however it had not limited Hephaestion's movements at all. The strong General went on moving from one side to the other, carrying his scrolls and maps or visiting new suppliers. When he was outside, his belly was concealed beneath his cloak and there was always a guard following at a short distance for his protection. There were more guards following him but the brunette, in his concern of meeting his goals in time, had never realized about them.

One evening while he was heading back to the palace, Hephaestion felt a cramp in his belly and the skin felt really hard beneath his hand. Hephaestion, who was always calm, panicked; he was in his eighth moon and just four or five weeks to go until he was due. He sent his guard to fetch the king while he rested for a while. As soon as the guard was no longer in sight, the light coming from the wall lanterns were put out and Hephaestion knew that something bad was about to happen. He stood up and quietly took his dagger from beneath his cloak. When he was ready, he shouted at the dark:

"Who is there? show yourself, that's an order"

However, silence was the only answer he got. He decided to make a dash, as fast as he could due to his slight waddling, for the opposite side where he could see some lanterns still burning. However, as he was walking, he nearly fell down when he bumped into the dead body of his guard, who had been murdered before getting some help.

A man, wearing a dark long cloak and a hood covering his head and face, got closer to Hephaestion and he was about to stab the chiliarch's belly when the brunette, due to his still instincts on alert, turned round quickly and covered his belly with his arm. He only received the worst of the hit on his back, getting a long cut along his back. When he turned round, he caught the attacker on his arm, cutting him with his dagger. The man yelled and rushed off so he could not be discovered.

Another guard was coming to their rescue; he had listened to strange noises while he was doing his round in the palace gardens. He helped Hephaestion to a nearest couch and offered his cloak to patch his back until the doctor could cure him better. As he was walking towards the palace, he could see Alexander running towards him, he took him in his arms, and after checking that the wound had stopped bleeding, he took his lover back to their chamber. The doctor saw the injury and after cleaning it, he dressed it so the General could rest more comfortably.

Hephaestion was resting on his side and Alexander was sitting next to him, caressing the large belly that was moving from one side to the other. He asked the baby to calm down so his father could get the so deserved rest after such a dramatic experience. Hephaestion smiled because their baby stopped its movements and he told Alexander that the baby was obeying the king's commands from inside his cocoon. Alexander traced a fingertip across Hephaestion's cheekbones to call his attention and asked if he had seen his attacker. Hephaestion shook his head and snuggling down into his mate's arms, he let sleep claim him.

The early hours of the morning found an awoken king answering the knock on their chamber door. Cleitus was waiting and asked Alexander to step outside so they did not wake Hephaestion up. The Black General had heard the commotion the previous night and had offered his help to discover and follow some leads.

The warrior had brought some disturbing news, he was almost sure who the attacker was because he had followed a trail of blood to a known area of the palace but he wanted to confirm his suspicion before he accused the man. Hephaestion had said that he had cut the man on the right arm and as they had not been in battle recently, the injury would still be fresh and with a scar.

The morning meal was very quiet; the companions were whispering among themselves about what had happened to Hephaestion the previous night and thinking who had been so stupid to attack the king's mate and his unborn child. Cleitus's black eyes were set on a man who was more silent than usual and who had not given his opinion on the topic. He also seemed to be in pain but he was masking it very well.

Breakfast was over and all the companions were going for a meeting when Cleitus grabbed the man's right arm and the man screamed and the strong warrior's hand came out stained with blood. Cleitus immediately threw a punch to the man's face and pushed him to the floor, setting a foot onto his neck and promised to crush his windpipe if he dared to move. The General asked Ptolemy to look for Alexander quickly. When the king entered the room and saw Cleitus still holding the man against the floor, he realized that Cleitus had confirmed his suspicion. While the king asked the attacker why he had done it and did not receive any answer, he sent men to the attacker's chamber to look for more evidence that would incriminate him. Perdicas came back with a bloodied and torn cloak and several pieces of bloodied cloth.

There was no one in the room who wanted to help the attacker, he had always been jealous about the relationship between Alexander and Hephaestion and he had enjoyed belittling the brunette. There was not a single friend for the attacker in the room and the only one who could have helped him, did not move a finger to save him as he knew it was a lost cause.

Cleitus dragged the attacker outside and tied him to a post. Alexander told him that he was going to be executed for treason and grabbing a spear, he pierced Cassander's heart.

The ninth moon arrived and Hephaestion's body prepared for the delivery; the old doctor did not know how this miracle would happen so he had requested the presence of the midwife and the old woman who had foreseen Hephaestion's baby. Alexander for once, showed a weird sense of calmness and he was by his mate's side telling him that everything was going to be all right. He had learnt not to pamper Hephaestion in excess but the brunette had requested his presence during the delivery.

As soon as the contractions were coming more frequently, the good doctor prayed for the Olympians' assistance and Hera materialized inside the room and practised the surgery to take the baby out of the brunette's womb. The goddess cleaned the baby and then set in on his father's chest. The exhaust brunette kissed the crown of the baby's head. Covered by a blond mop of hair and as soon as it felt Hephaestion's lips bruising the head, the baby opened the eyes to reveal the blue in them, so similar to the ones the father that had carried it had.

"So what is it, milord?" Athina asked from the chamber door.

"Oh, sorry, as I already knew, I forgot to tell, you, it's a girl" Hera said smiling.

Many of the companions who had been allowed to enter looked at the king's face, expecting to find his disappointment but to their surprise, a broad smile was gracing the king's lips. Alexander approached his mate and after kissing him gently on the lips and thanking him for their baby, he took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. The baby yawned and so the proud father showed her to the people in the room in a quick way so baby and father could get their deserved rest.

The new family was about to spend some alone time when Cleitus asked:

"So what is the princess's name?"

Hephaestion looked at Alexander who smiled widely while caressing the soft pinkish cheek, and answered:

"Her name is Hope"


	28. Day 27

_**Chapter Twenty-seven: Parents' years.**_

As soon as the baby princess was born, she had her two fathers wrapped around her tiny little finger; in fact, she had a full Army of brave soldiers at her own disposal and no one would doubt once to give their lives for her.

Both parents were totally besotted with her and it was not strange to see the great king escaping every now and then from his official obligations to spend some time with Hope, even if it was just to kiss her blonde head.

Her eyes, two big aquamarines, were her most outstanding features followed by a cute button nose and bow lips; she would be a heartbreaker and her parents were seriously thinking about enclosing her in a high tower that they were planning to build soon.

Everybody was enchanted by the little one but one of the rudest men of the kingdom was head over heels and had not doubted in showing his softer side. Black Cleitus had found every excuse to go to the royal nursery every single day and he had always gifted the little princess a trinket. Sometimes he spent only few minutes, on another occasions, especially after hard days, he spent there longer and even dared to cradle her tiny body against his broad chest.

One afternoon, Hephaestion entered the royal nursery, that was next to his working place in the palace, and found the big warrior with Hope in his arms, both facing the window.

"See there, beyond the high walls, there are some exotic lands that I will conquer for you, my princess. I promise you that I will take care of your daddies and I will bring you tons of jewels and gold to match your precious eyes and hair. I will look after you and kill anyone who dares to threaten you. I almost did it once, you know, when I discovered Cassander's attack to your father who was still carrying you. I wanted to kill that rat with my bare hands but I knew that it was the king's right to do that"

The warrior stopped talking and kissed the blonde mop tenderly, letting his mind dream about what he had promised. A light movement brought him back from his reverie; Hope had caught his index finger in her tiny hand and squeezed it to call his attention. When the rude man saw those big blue eyes looking up at him, he fell in love once again and he knew that he had lost his heart to his little princess.

"That is so nice to hear, Cleitus, and now I can sleep better knowing that my daughter has such a good protector" Hephaestion said appearing.

"I am not just her protector, pretty boy; I am her personal and unique bodyguard, and I will be her most fervent suitor when she reaches her marriage age" Cleitus said while looking at her big blue eyes.

"You will be too old for her, Cleitus" Hephaestion said smiling.

"I won't, I will ask the gods for a miracle. I lost my chance with you but it won't happen with her, I promise" Cleitus said seriously.

"Don't let Alexander hear you saying that, he is already jealous of her nana because she spends more time with her than he does" Hephaestion explained as a warning.

"Don't listen to him, my little jewel, we will be together and I won't be old, I will keep myself young and safe, just for you" the courageous warrior promised.

Hope, as if she were able to understand what the tall man was saying, smiled at him and gurgled happily as if she were accepting his promises.

Hephaestion laughed loudly and in that moment, Alexander entered the nursery and his eyes became two thin slits when he saw his daughter in the warrior's arms.

"What are you doing here, Cleitus?" Alexander asked, trying to mask his jealousy.

"I came to visit my future wife" he replied calmly while caressing the chubby cheek with his index fingertip.

"What have you said?" Alexander shouted, startling Hope who pouted and started to cry.

"Look what you have done, you have upset my little jewel" Cleitus said while cradling Hope tighter against his chest and his huge hand caressed her little back with circular soothing movements. "Shhh my jewel shhh" he shushed her quickly and to her fathers' dismay, she smiled at Cleitus widely and then sighed, letting sleep claim her in the arms of her protector.

After rocking her for a while, Cleitus let her inside her crib, tucked her in and kissed her forehead wishing her sweet dreams.

Alexander and Hephaestion could not believe what they have just seen and even though they were jealous, they were grateful at the same time for Cleitus's unconditional love for their daughter.

They saw Cleitus leave the nursery and both men could spend some time, whispering about their day while watching over Hope's rest.

* * *

The little princess had been a bit feverish during the last week. She had also refused to drink her milk or she brought it up minutes after she had finished drinking it.

She had always been a quiet baby, only crying when she was hungry or sleepy but those were not her normal sobs; they were deeper as if she wanted to express discomfort or pain.

Hephaestion had been pacing with Hope in his arms for the last half an hour and he had been the only one who could calm her for a while; not even her almighty Cleitus had been able to offer the little princess some comfort.

The princess had brought two of her father's fingers into her mouth and sucked them thoroughly, covering them in thick dribble. Hephaestion did not care what his fingers were suffering if that brought her some release. She had been sucking and chewing them for a while and then she got asleep.

At night the same problem began; Alexander took her in his arms and tried to calm her. Hephaestion saw how Hope sought for a pleat in Alexander's chiton and started to suck and chew it frantically, the same she had done to his fingers in the afternoon and so the chiliarch had a clearer idea, Hope was almost 8 months old and it was time her teeth made an appearance. He walked slowly towards where the father and daughter were pacing and pushed the piece of cloth out of her little mouth. The yell she gave must have awoken the dead but Hephaestion refused to give it back. He coaxed her to open the mouth and there he found the culprit, her gums were totally reddish and swollen and a tiny cut had appeared in the upper front gum. Hephaestion gave her the cloth back and Hope stopped her crying.

The chiliarch was about to explain that to Alexander when Cleitus entered the nursery as if the very same Hades had been chasing him.

"What happened to my princess? What was that yell?" her asked and approached the little one, who recognizing his baritone voice, outstretched her little arms and opening and closing her hands, she let him know that she wanted him to take her.

Alexander was not happy at all, moreover when Hope took the warrior's thick finger and chewed it and then snuggled confidently in his strong arms. When she fell asleep, Cleitus left the room, after listening to Hephaestion's explanation, but came back three hours later with a small bowl made of stone and a kind of small knife without point or blade. He gave them to Hephaestion who looked at them curiously.

"I remembered seeing an old woman helping her grandchildren with the teething. When the gum is really swollen and you can see the tip of the tooth beneath it, you set the metal knife in cold water for a while, until it is really cold and then press it against the swollen point. The cold numbs the area and the metal helps to break the gum and so the pain is more bearable" Cleitus said in a rush because his little jewel had started to cry again.

Hephaestion set Hope in Alexander's arms and he proceeded to do as the General had previously taught him. He had to repeat the same action four of five times but finally he succeeded. The point of the tooth tore the swollen skin and Hope cried loudly but then she smiled broadly, showing proudly the tip of her first tooth.

* * *

Spring came back and brought many colours in the hundreds of flowers blooming in the royal gardens. Hephaestion had requested the best care for them as they were going to celebrate Hope's first birthday in the open air with hundreds of guests that were already invited.

The day came and Hope woke up early as usual, she was an early riser like her fathers, and to her surprise, it was her parents who were looking after her sleep.

"Happy birthday, Hope" her parents greeted her at the same time and tickled her tummy.

"Hope one" she replied laughing loud and contagiously.

"Yes, Hope is one year old today" Hephaestion replied while kissing her chubby cheek.

"I think we have a gift for Hope, don't we, daddy?" Alexander asked, winking his grey eye.

"Gimme gimme" the little princess said while opening and closing her little hands.

"Alright, but be careful because it can break" Hephaestion warned her.

The little girl stood up and with quite firm steps she walked, following her father. He showed what he had in his hands and said:

"Because you are our princess, we wanted to give you a little crown" Alexander said and he set the crown on her blonde head.

"Look papa!" Hope said lowering her head so Hephaestion could see her crown.

"It is beautiful, baby. You have one crown like father now" he said and saw the confusion in her aquamarine eyes.

"No daddy?" she asked while patting Hephaestion's head.

"What, baby?" the brunette asked with confusion.

"I think she is saying that you don't have a crown" Alexander said seriously.

"Ah …. No Hope, no crown for daddy, daddy is not king or prince" Hephaestion explained.

"Poor daddy" Hope said and immediately offered her own crown to her father.

"No princess, this is yours" Hephaestion said giving it back to her.

"No sad, daddy?" Hope asked, not totally convinced.

"No, I am not sad, I am very happy because my daughter is 1 today" and saying that, he scooped her in his arms and started to dance all over the room while Hope laughed loudly.

Alexander smiled at the beautiful sight in front of his eyes, not even the most exotic lands could compare to that image of happiness and love.

"Love you, daddy" Hope said while giving her daddy a big and nosy kiss.

"Love you too, my princess. Let's get dressed so we can have breakfast" Hephaestion said and ran after her daughter, followed by a much slower and pensive king.

There was a small banquet prepared on the dining room table, there were sweet treats and a soft cake, ready to be eaten by a one-year old girl with only six teeth.

Hephaestion realized that Hope was looking around the room, so he dared to ask:

"What are you looking for, Hope?"

""Daddy, No Cletus here? The little girl asked, still trying to master the black warrior's name.

"Umm, no he is not here, baby" he said and immediately realized that his daughter was already pouting.

From the end of the chamber, a loud voice asked:

"Who said my name?" the tall soldier said while approaching the princess with his hands hidden behind his back.

"Me me, Hope, Cletus" the little girl said waving her little hands.

"Ah…. What happens here? Is there a party?" Cleitus asked.

"Hope one, Cletus, one" the little girl said while lifting her hand and showing one finger up.

"Ahhhh, so do you want a present?" he asked smiling.

"Yay" she said clapping and laughing.

"Well, so this is for you, my little jewel" he said and handed her a rag doll that looked exactly the same as she did, crown included.

"Awww pretty Cletus, pretty" she said while hugging the doll against her chest.

"Look at her arms, they are very long so she can hug you while you sleep or you can take her for a walk" the man explained, repeating the same things the woman who had made the doll had told him.

"Let's begin the party!" Alexander said, sitting Hope in one extreme of the table on a high chair that was decorated with flowers.

The birthday celebrations lasted all day long; wherever the princess went, she received presents and even the army followers gave her simple but meaningful gifts.

When they went back to the palace, they found some people waiting for them, under Cleitus's haw look. They had introduced themselves as ambassadors from foreign lands who had come to present their respects to the baby princess.

Hephaestion immediately recognized who those people were but he kept his mouth shut. One of the women, the youngest and most beautiful of the two, winked a green eye to the young chiliarch and turned to speak to the princess but the little baby was trying to get to the tallest of the two men, who had an almighty presence. In her effort, she lost her step and was on her knees fast. Cleitus moved extremely quickly for a man with such a big body, scooped the princess in his arms, and moved towards the table to put some cold water on them. He then carefully wiped her tears and made her smile by making funny faces.

The short man, who looked like more than a boy than a man, looked at the tall man who nodded. He approached the warrior and the princess and pinched both cheeks simultaneously, murmuring something in a language who none could understand. The short man then invited Cleitus to drink some wine and he whispered something into the liquid. When the warrior asked what he was doing, the short man said that he was wishing him good health and eternal youth. The tall warrior did not protest at all and drank until the goblet was empty.

The four ambassadors left the palace but before they stopped to speak to the young chiliarch. Alexander looked at them with a bit of mistrust but he relaxed when his mate laughed and nodded to what the tall man was saying. He also saw how the two women were clearly speaking about their daughter because they kept looking at her who was still in Cleitus's arms.

Exhausted, Hope fell asleep in his daddy's arms by mid-evening so the brunette took her back to her room and put her down to sleep. When he turned round, Hephaestion saw Alexander, leaning over the doorframe and looking at them. The brunette approached his mate who immediately enveloped him in a tight embrace while eager but soft kisses took his partner in a toe-curling kiss that left them breathless.

When the kiss was over, Alexander looked at Hephaestion and whispered:

"I have a present for you, love"

"Why?" the brunette asked curiously.

"Because exactly one year ago, you gave me the most beautiful gift I could have ever desired, our wonderful Hope" he said while taking Hephaestion's hand in his.

Hephaestion felt something cold sliding along his left fourth finger and when he looked at it, he saw a beautiful gold ring with a sapphire, an exact match to his own eyes.

"This is beautiful, Xander" Hephaestion said, admiring his new piece of jewellery.

"It is nothing compared to what you gave me, Phai" the king answered, pecking him on the lips once again.

"What do you say about having a celebration of our own?" the slender brunette asked and after kissing and wishing their daughter a happy rest, they moved to their own chamber where a very different party began.

* * *

Four-year-old Hope was running towards his daddy's room, followed closely by her nana. She entered the room where the young brunette was working and jumped onto his lap.

"Hello rabbit" Hephaestion greeted her.

"Hello daddy, what are you doing?" she asked while spying the scrolls on the table.

"I am working, love. And you?" he asked interested.

"She is going to take her nap, Sire" Agaia, the nana, replied but she kept staring at him.

"But?" he asked.

"I think she might be running a fever" she said, setting her hand on the little girl's forehead.

"Does something hurt, Hope?" Hephaestion asked, sounding a bit worried.

"No, but there is bug in my throat, and it feels as if it is scratching with its legs" Hope explained and Hephaestion looked at Agaia.

"Please, take her back to her chamber and I will call the doctor" the chiliarch said, standing up.

The doctor came fast to the princess's chamber and greeted her with a smile, trying to transmit her confidence and calmness.

"My sweet princess, how are you today?" the doctor asked.

"I am fine, Nikos but there is a bug in my throat and when it moves the legs, they scratch my throat and now it hurts" Hope explained and her lower lips start to tremble.

"Don't worry, Hope and let me check that throat of yours" the doctor said, approached the little girl and sat her on his legs.

The good doctor searched for any ganglion and he found that the ones on her throat were a bit swollen, mostly because she was suffering from a sore throat; there was not bug at all and no legs acting funny inside it.

He was still checking Hope when the chamber door was opened suddenly and the king entered asking loudly what the problem with his daughter was.

"Father, my throat hurts and I am hot" the little girl informed her father immediately.

"So, what is your diagnosis, Nikos?" Hephaestion asked, trying to focus the attention back to the problem.

"Just fever and a sore throat, she will have to stay in bed, without catching cold, taking hot drinks or stews. If the fever keeps on going high, I recommend some cold baths using cloths especially over her forehead, inner thighs and ankles" Nikos said when he finished his check.

"Will she be alright?" Alexander asked a bit worried.

"Yes, my king, however I will go back to my chamber and prepare a concoction to help her in lowering her fever" the doctor said, leaving the chamber.

"We will stay here with her tonight" Hephaestion said, taking place at the end of the bed.

Gaia searched for some linen and cold water to give a cloth bath to the little princess. When it was over, she redressed her in a clean sleeping gown and plaited her long tresses so they did not get messed up.

Hephaestion thanked her assistance but told her that they would look after Hope, especially since the little girl was a bit scared and it was the first time that she got ill.

The girl took some soup that Athina had prepared especially for her but after the fourth of fifth spoonful, she stopped and brought up the whole meal. She started to cry because she hated vomiting and because that bad bug was still inside her throat making it hurt. The doctor came back to check on the small girl and he told them that she had been sick because there was too much mucus in her throat and stomach so it was common but uncomfortable.

In the middle of the night, Hope started to whine and twist in her bed. The movement awoke Hephaestion who was sleeping next to her while Alexander had taken a chair next to the bed. Hephaestion tried to comfort her but she did not want it, she was crying and begging him to take the bug out of her throat.

She got so worked out that she started to choke with her own phlegm and started to shout:

"Don't want to die, daddy, don't let me die, papa" she cried for both men.

"Calm down and breathe, you are not dying, your throat seems to close when you cough but we will not let you die, rabbit, calm down" Hephaestion said and finally he was able to calm her down.

"Love, listen to your daddy and soon you will feel better" Alexander said, rubbing the small back with soothing circles.

As soon as Hope was sure that she would not die, she calmed down and started to breathe slowly so her cough and sore started to diminish and she finally fell asleep in her daddy's arms.

The fever went up during the early hours of the morning and they bathed her again, making deaf ears to her pleas of taking her out of the cold water. Alexander could see a stray tear roll down Hephaestion's cheek but the brunette continued with the bath until the fever broke. Then he wrapped his daughter in his own cloak and took her back to the bed where she finally could sleep without waking up till the following morning.

A worried Cleitus entered the room and saw his king and chiliarch dozing in their chairs. He woke Hephaestion and gave him a new concoction the doctor had prepared for Hope. The young brunette gave his daughter the medicine and the little girl fell asleep again; the fever had taken a toll in her small body.

Three hours later, Hope opened her eyes and saw Cleitus sat by her bed. She smiled at him and said:

"The bug is dead, Cleitus, my throat sore is almost over"

"I am so glad, my little jewel, your fathers were very worried" Cleitus said while he glanced towards the sleeping men. He had finally convinced them to take a nap while he looked after his princess.

"I am sorry" Hope said, looking contrite.

"There is no need for an apology, rabbit, you got ill and that is all" Hephaestion whispered because he did not want to wake Alexander.

"Thank you daddy for looking after me" Hope said and blew a kiss towards his father.

"You are welcome, we will always be near to protect and help you" Hephaestion replied.

"And I will help. Well my little jewel, I must go, I have some lazy soldiers to train" and kissing the princess's hand, Cleitus left the room.

"Get well soon, Hope" Hephaestion said and kissed her cold forehead and smiled. Everything was going to be alright.

TBC


	29. Day 28

_**Day Twenty-eight: A moonless day.**_

Alexander decided to move to Ecbatana and spent the summer there. Hope loved the palace and who was the king to refuse her five-year-old daughter such a simple wish.

Hope had flourished into a beautiful girl, blue eyes like her daddy's, only a shade lighter and her long and blonde curls, a heritance from the king, were no longer so fair but a colour similar to the purest honey.

The king was preparing a new conquest, just some nearby lands to gain an extra exit to the inner sea and Hephaestion was working hard to prepare everything they would need, from food and clothes to weapons and medical supplies. The 33-year-old brunette was working very long hours and it had begun to take a toll in his still strong body. Suddenly a very strange fever invaded his body and forced him to rest for nearly two weeks. He protested against the doctor's decision but it was Hope who made him rest by staying by his side once the doctor had assured them that it was not contagious.

She lied next to him and told him stories about warriors and princesses and the brunette laughed when he realized that many of those tales had been told by a black warrior who miraculously was keeping his word of staying safe and young for Hope.

Hephaestion left the bed totally recovered and he immediately reassumed his duties. However, Alexander had made him promise to take regular breaks and stop if he felt unwell.

A month and a half went by and Alexander decided to start his campaign but Hephaestion had decided not to go with him; Hope had been quite strange lately, hugging and kissing him whenever she had the opportunity, as if she were afraid of losing him. Hephaestion, for the first time in his life, put his heart first and stayed behind.

Alexander was not happy, he was not used to go into battle without his partner but if their daughter felt it was important for her daddy to stay, he would not go against her wishes.

The campaign was short and quick, the peoples accepted Alexander's rules fast as none of them wanted to see those rich and exotic lands devastated. Alexander wanted to go back to his palace in Ecbatana; nothing was exciting without his sexy and smart brunette by his side. He left a small part of his army behind to organize the new subjects while he took the rest of the army back to that city.

Cleitus asked Alexander if he could tell his little jewel that he was going to be back soon and that he was going to give her a beautiful jewel he had bought for her. Alexander did not like that at all but he was also surprised to see how Cleitus did not look a year older that when Hope was born.

The black warrior had joked about a gift the gods had given him, about getting older one year out of five lived, so he was just 39 and Hope was 5 and, if his counts were right, Hope would arrive her marriage age in 10 years being 15 and he would be just 41. Alexander knew that no one would be able to stop them if they decided to start anything between them.

Alexander just groaned and left, listening to Cleitus laughing loudly.

Alexander arrived after a month and ten days before Hope's fifth birthday. As soon as Bucephalus's gallop stopped at the palace entrance, little but fast footsteps took the little girl towards her father who scooped her up in his arms and cradled her brunette head against his chest, peppering the crown of her head with tons of kisses.

She kissed his father's cheeks, looked at him seriously and asked:

"Are you fine, father?"

"Yes, I am but now I am much better from having you in my arms" the king confessed and he did not care if anyone could listen to his sappy confession.

"Was it a difficult campaign?" she asked, really interested.

"Not so much" Alexander replied.

"Did many people die, papa?" Hope asked and her big heart was already sad for those fallen soldiers.

"Very few; most of them surrounded when they saw our magnificent army" Alexander answered, trying to soothe the worried heart.

"I know that, papa, we have the best Army of all" she replied proud.

"And how is your daddy? Did you make him rest?" Alexander asked, feeling quite eager to have news of his partner.

"I took good care of him but he is fine, no fever or pain but he misses you, I heard him calling you in his sleep, papa"

"I missed him too; luckily we are all here so we can celebrate together" Alexander said happily.

"Not everyone, papa. Where is my Cleitus?" she asked seriously.

"General Cleitus is following my orders and I don't know when he is coming back" Alexander said, a bit offended.

"But is he fine? Was he hurt?" Hope asked worried.

"He is fine, no hurt and he is not yours, young lady. Apart from that, I saw him chasing a very curvy black-haired woman and kissing her" Alexander could not avoid saying that white lie to stop his daughter's crush.

Alexander stopped in his walk when he did not hear his little one following him. He turned round and he saw his daughter standing up with her head down and, even though he could not see her fat tears, he could see her little shoulders moving up and down accompanying her low sobs. He cursed his own stupidity and ran back to kneel by her side.

"Don't cry, baby, that was a joke. Your Cleitus was not kissing any woman; he sent me with a message for you, he said that he was coming back soon and that he would give you a jewel he had bought for you" Alexander said, trying to cheer up his daughter's spirit.

Hope looked at him and if her eyes could kill, he would have been dead with just one single look.

"I hate you father, I hate you!" and she left, leaving the great king on his knees while he wondered why he had been so rude to his own daughter.

Alexander entered the palace and went directly to the royal chamber. There he found his mate cradling and soothing a very distressed young princess.

The king of the known world looked at his mate in the eyes and realized that he had managed to piss off his two most favourite persons in the world.

He approached them slowly and sat by Hephaestion who looked at him with disappointment in his cerulean eyes. He mouthed "Why?" and Alexander replied in the same way with only one word "Jealous"

Hephaestion shook his head and hugged his daughter even tighter. Alexander set a hand on her little back and whispered in her ear:

"I am sorry, baby, it was just a joke"

"It was not a joke, it was a lie, my King" and Alexander realized, how mad she was, she never called him My King.

"I didn't think, Hope" he tried to justify himself.

"But it hurt me, father" she said between sobs.

"I know now and I am sorry. Can you forgive me?" the king asked seriously.

"But my heart broke a little, papa; if Cleitus does not love me …." She stopped because she started to cry again.

"Cleitus loves you, hope. And he promised me when you were just a baby of three months old, that he would marry you" Hephaestion said while caressing her back.

"Is that true, daddy?" Hope showed her own name in her aquamarine eyes.

"Yes, it is, my love and I will see myself that you marry him if that is what both want when you are old enough to get married" Hephaestion promised and his daughter gifted him with the biggest smile she had.

"I will see to that too, Hope" Alexander said because he suddenly remembered where his own stupid jealousy had taken him when it was related to Hephaestion and he did not want to lose a single minute without them.

"Thank you, papa" and she turned in Hephaestion's arms and wrapped her little arms around the king's neck.

"You are welcome, my princess" Alexander said, smiling for the first time since all the problem began.

"Will you take me to bed and tell me story?" she asked, her big blue eyes fixed on his mismatched ones.

"Of course" and he started the story with "There was a time when a brave and strong black warrior saved his princess, who he loved deeply…."

Hephaestion listened to his mate's voice fade away as well as his daughter's low laughter.

When Alexander came back to the royal chamber, he found no one in it but he could listen to the sound of water in the inner chamber. He walked there and found himself admiring the most beautiful and sexiest image he had ever seen. His gorgeous mate was sitting inside the bathtub, his upper body outside the water so Alexander could see the broad chest, the brownish nipples, the flat stomach and that temping line of brunette hair that pointed to the treasure beneath the water. Hephaestion had his eyes closed and his head was resting against the tub border and his bronze tresses, already wet, were caressing his neck and back skin.

Alexander gasped and even though it had been very low, it made Hephaestion open his eyes.

"Hey" Alexander whispered approaching the bathtub and sitting by its border.

"Hey yourself, aren't you joining me?" Hephaestion asked.

"I didn't want to assume anything; I thought you were still mad at me" Alexander said and blushed.

"I was because you upset Hope due to your own jealousy but I have missed you, Xander, so much that it was painful" Hephaestion said and outstretched his hand so Alexander could take it between his.

"Let me undress and I will join you there. I have missed you too, Phai, not even the victories were joyful because you weren't there to celebrate them with me" Alexander said, while sitting behind Hephaestion and making the brunette chiliarch rest onto his chest.

"Tell me about those lands, Alexander" Hephaestion asked and the king could detect a kind of longing in his baritone voice,

"We will see them together soon; as soon as we can take Hope out of this Palace" Alexander assured him.

"I don't know Alexander, it is just …" the brunette stopped mid-sentence.

"What is it, love?" Alexander asked worried.

"I think that I won't see them" Hephaestion whispered his answer.

"Why not?" Alexander whispered back.

"Just a stupid feeling" he replied quietly.

"Well, don't say that. Let me wash you so then I can take you to our bed and show you how much I missed you, how much I need you and love you" Alexander said in a whisper, kissing the wet spot behind Hephaestion's neck.

They bathed each other and shared some long kisses that quickly were so heated that they decided to take their action to the bed.

They made love all night long, taking turns to take each other and showed their mates how much they had been missed and how much they were loved.

The following morning they were woken up by a little princess jumping on their bed and both fathers punished her by tickling her without mercy in her tummy and the royal chamber was filled with happiness and laughter.

A week later, the deafening noise of hundreds of horses and men woke the little princess who immediately ran towards the windowsill of her bedroom to see the exact moment when the Army was entering the city and the officers were already heading towards the palace entrance where the king and his chiliarch were already waiting for them. They exchanged greetings and news when suddenly a loud and baritone voice asked:

"Where is my little jewel?"

"Up her, Cleitus, in my window" Hope shouted waving her little arms madly while her nana kept a tight hold of her night gown.

All the officers there laughed loudly but the serious look in Cleitus's face told them that it was true love what he felt for his Hope.

The little princess climbed down the stairs, followed by her nana and she suddenly jumped into Cleitus's arms who reverently kissed her forehead.

"Joy to you, my little jewel"

"Joy to you, my brave warrior" Hope said and blushed.

"What do I have here? I think it is a gift for the little princess" Cleitus said, showing his right hand in a fist.

"I am not little, I am five years old, Cleitus" the little girl said a bit upset.

"No, you will be five tomorrow" Cleitus replied laughing.

"No difference. Well, what have you got hidden in your hand?" Hope asked curiously.

"Ummm, nothing and grown up princesses should not be that curious, milady" he said seriously.

"But I am a little princess today, Cleitus" she said, frowning her forehead.

Officers as well as her fathers laughed loudly, thinking that Hope would make a good negotiator as her father Hephaestion was and as determined and strong-willed as the king himself.

"Well, I have a jewel for my little jewel" and opening his big hand, everybody could see a ring of gold with an aquamarine in its top, the same shade of blue of Hope's eyes.

"It is beautiful, Cleitus, thank you" she said and kissed the stubble cheek.

"You cannot wear it yet, but I want you to wear it as soon as you are a grown-up princess; let's say in ten years …" Cleitus said and dared to throw a look at his future in–laws.

"Alright, Cleitus, but I will wear it with a chain around my neck until then" she said seriously.

"As you wish, my princess" Cleitus said and kissed her forehead once more, a bit longer than before.

Hephaestion looked at Alexander and whispered:

"Has our daughter got engaged in front of us and the Macedonian officers?"

"It seemed that she has" Alexander replied and smiled; they could not have chosen a better mate for their daughter but time would tell if they were right; ten years was a long time for a man to wait ….

The following day, Hope's birthday fifth birthday party was celebrated in the gardens of the palace in Ecbatana. There were musicians and jugglers, poets and athletes and an abundance of food and wine to satisfy all the guests. The different sections of the army presented their princess precious gifts and the army followers gave her presents that represented their skills so Hope got knitted peplos, wood toys and jewelry made of not so noble metals, among others.

Hope was surprised because her fathers had not given her their present yet and even though she was a bit upset, she could understand them a bit.

Suddenly a young page from the royal stables entered the garden with a black mare and stood near the king and his mate. He gave them the reins and they called Hope to introduce her to her own horse, an offspring of Bucephalus and Auburn, Hephaestion's mare. With difficulty, they had kept Auburn's pregnancy in secret, telling Hope that Hephaestion was training another horse so Auburn could rest.

Hope clapped madly and asked her parents to sit her on the horse but, before that happened, Cleitus approached them with a saddle made of the softest leather and set it onto the horse. When the bridles were all buckled up, Alexander sat her and took her for the first ride on her own horse along the gardens.

Her nana asked her how the horse would be named and, looking at her fathers first and then at Cleitus, she said it would be called "Beloved". The celebration continued with dances and laughter until the early hours of the morning.

Alexander was feeling restless, he wanted to leave Ecbatana and went back to Babylon but Hephaestion refused to leave the city.

Surprisingly, they had been having a spell of warm weather and the royal family could swim and relax by the small river that ran near the palace. After a very exciting day, they all took a very hearty meal and said their goodbyes.

Hephaestion fell asleep after a single round of lovemaking; he snuggled against Alexander's warm body but the king could not find his rest so he spent a long time contemplating the peaceful expression on his husband's face. Alexander then spooned the slender body and after some minutes, he finally fell asleep.

Morning came and the sky was grey, heavy with clouds. Alexander stretched and realized that Hephaestion was no longer in his arms; he smiled because Hephaestion tended to escape to his own side of the bed. He moved softly and kissed Hephaestion's earlobe, knowing that even the lightest caress in that sensible area would wake him up, but nothing happened.

"He must be very tired if he did not bat my hand" Alexander thought.

Alexander got closer and his chest brushed his mate's back and he felt it cold, even though he was still covered by the sheets and thought that it was really strange.

Alexander shook Hephaestion's shoulder and nothing happened and whatever patch of skin Alexander touched, he found it cold.

"Wake up, Phai" Alexander pleaded but the brunette did not move at all.

Alexander turned Hephaestion round and set his ear onto the brunette's chest, frantically listening for a heartbeat but there was none; the well-oiled machine had stopped during the night and Alexander had not realized about it.

A piercing yell woke the whole palace and the two guards protecting their chamber door entered immediately. They found the great king rocking back and forwards the lifeless body of his husband.

One of them went to the king while the other ran in search of the doctor. Minutes later, Cleitus, Ptolemy and Perdicas entered the room and saw the devastating image in front of their eyes.

Hope had also listened to the yell and ran towards her fathers' room with her nana but Cleitus stopped her outside the chamber, asking the nana to take her back to her room while the little girl shouted because she wanted to know what had happened to her daddy.

The good doctor entered the room and approached the bed. He gently asked his king if he would let him check Hephaestion. Alexander looked at him with clouded eyes but nodded.

"I am sorry, my king, but it was his heart, it just stopped during the night … no one, not even me with my medical knowledge, could have done anything to save him" the doctor added the last part because he knew that Alexander would blame himself for letting his mate die while they were sleeping together.

"Did he suffer?" Alexander asked between sobs and racking his fingers through Hephaestion's tresses.

"No sire, look at the peaceful expression in his face, his heart only stopped, from one second to the next" he said and left the king alone. He informed the Generals that were gathered about the situation.

Cleitus, Ptolemy and Perdicas got closer and Alexander's face had such a devastating expression on it that they could not help shedding a few tears. However, when time went by and Alexander still had Hephaestion's corpse between his arms, they started to get nervous; Alexander was about to suffer a serious breakdown and there were decisions to make.

Cleitus informed the little princess about her daddy's death and Hope cried in his arms until she fell asleep, exhausted and drained.

Ptolemy left the palace to inform Hephaestion's parents and to bring them to the palace to attend Hephaestion's funeral rites and accompany Alexander and Hope in that difficult moment.

It took three days to convince Alexander to let Hephaestion's body go. Even though his mind was still clouded, Alexander remembered the scroll that he had been given nearly twenty years ago with clear and important instructions for Hephaestion's corpse.

The rites were celebrated and even though Alexander wanted to have Hephaestion with him forever, he placed his body in a hidden cave at the foot of mount Olympus. The instructions said that Hephaestion's corpse had to be set onto a marble wide table, covered by a thick white cotton sheet. His body had to be perfectly cleaned and wearing a white chiton. A pitch of water and a bowl of seeds had to be left next to the table as well as his beloved sword and shield.

Alexander followed the instructions carefully and when they were finished, he let his closest relatives to pay his final respects to his husband. Hephaestion's parents cried over his body and wondered why he had left them when he was still so young. Hope set a crown of forget-me-not over his crossed hands and whispered a heartfelt "see you soon daddy" in his ear. She kissed his clean cheek and went back to his father's arms.

Alexander was left alone but the people waiting for him outside could clearly listen to him crying and asking the Olympians to kill him so they could be together again. While he was there, a strange light covered the whole body and Alexander realized that it was time to seal the cave.

Alexander spent the following week in the dark, refusing to eat or drink. He spent the whole day pacing, hugging one of Hephaestion's chitons and burying his nose in the fading smell.

Hephaestion's parents took care of Hope as Alexander did not have the strength to do it, but when night came, he spent the whole nighttime in her bed, hugging her and checking her breathing and heartbeat.

Everyone could clearly see that Alexander was losing his life wish and they wondered how long it would take the great king to follow his soul mate down to the house of death.


	30. Day 29

_**Day Twenty nine: Cheating death.**_

The curtains were still closed even though it was nearly noon. Hope entered her father's room quietly and climbed onto the bed. Alexander had stopped sleeping in her room two months ago after agreeing that the situation was not helping Hope at all.

Hope set herself very close to her father and caressed his wrinkled forehead; it seemed as if his father had grown older in the last months.

"Five more minutes, Phai" Alexander murmured and drove his arm backwards to bring his mate's body closer to his.

"It's me, papa, Hope" the nearly six-year-old girl whispered, trying to stop her tears.

Alexander turned round and looked at his daughter who was knelt by his side on the bed.

"Hope, how are you, my dear? Is there anything you need, my princess?" the king asked while drying the tears he had not realized he had shed while sleeping.

"Can you come and have lunch with me, papa?" she told him while she snuggled next to him, looking for his warmth.

"I am not hungry, rabbit" Alexander said and she could see his eyes totally bright less.

"Daddy used to call me rabbit" she said between sobs.

"That is because you are always jumping" Alexander said tapping her tiny nose.

"I don't like jumping anymore, papa, so no more rabbit" she whispered.

"Why not?" he asked worried.

"Because I am sad and I miss daddy so much" she said and while sitting on her father's lap, her sobs grew louder.

"I miss him too, so much that it hurts all the time" Alexander confessed and did not care this time to dry his falling tears.

"Come with me, papa, I need you" Hope pleaded.

"Alright, we will have some lunch together" Alexander said and after refreshing a bit, they headed to the dining room.

It was the first time in the last month that Alexander had appeared in the dining room and when the rest of the companions saw him, they were surprised due to his untidy appearance and not looking well at all. His hair, now shorter, had lost its brightness and his eyes were two deep hollows with bright less eyes, a shadow of the man he used to be.

They greeted him but tried not to focus too much on his presence. Hephaestion's parents were there too and suffered not only by their dead son but also because their son-in-law was digging his own grave.

From that day onwards, Alexander started to take more active part in the palace life and he continued looking after Hope during the night, falling asleep when he could no longer keep his eyes open, but going to his chamber after a while.

His closest friends thought that Alexander was finally finding something worth to go on living but Hephaestion's parents knew him better; he was hiding his true feelings for Hope's sake; they had listened to him crying during the night and pleading Hephaestion to take him with him soon.

A&H

Eight months after Hephaestion's death, Alexander passed away on his sleep in the same way as his mate had done it before.

The great king had left clear instructions in case he died young; first of all, Hephaestion's parents would take care of Hope and her custody would pass onto Cleitus when they got married. As the great king did not have a son to succeed him in the Macedonian throne, he decided to divide his kingdom in four smaller reigns, being Ptolemy the only one who the other three minor kings paid obedience to.

Hephaestion's parents took a devastated Hope back to where her daddy had been buried but that time they were carrying her papa's corpse there.

Cleitus abandoned the army and followed his little princess as her bodyguard in case someone decided to attack the only living descendant of Hephaestion and Alexander.

They arrived at the hidden cave and opened it again. What they saw inside surprised them a lot, Hephaestion was there but instead of looking dead as he firstly did, he looked as if he were in deep sleep. He had a peaceful expression on his face and his complexion had lost that marmoreal appearance and seemed to have recovered his usual tanned colour.

Cleitus and General Amyntoros set Alexander's corpse next to Hephaestion's. They had followed the same instructions as they had done with Hephaestion and also left water, seeds, his shield and sword by his side.

Hope insisted on seeing her fathers off and she set one of Alexander's hands onto Hephaestion's and then put another crown of forget-me-not on both entwined hands while the former crown was still fresh.

They bid their goodbyes and left the cave between sobs and laments.

A&H

Three days went by since both mates had been reunited in the cave, when a golden and warm light invaded the whole place. Its intensity grew and grew until it lit the cave as if it were broad daylight. It concentrated on Hephaestion's body's starting from his bare feet until it paused for a long time on his chest, over his heart, and then it continued until it covered his head. The light disappeared as fast as it had appeared.

For the following seven days, the same light made its appearance and repeated the same pattern on Hephaestion's body every single time.

On day eleventh, the light stopped when the brunette's toes made a little movement, just for a few seconds.

On day twelfth, the light stopped when the chiliarch's knees made a small shacking movement.

On day thirteenth, Hope's father' stomach seemed to move upwards and filled with air.

On day fourteenth, the light stopped when Alexander's mate's heart gave its first beats.

On day fifteenth, the former and remarkable creation of the Olympians opened his eyes and took a first look to his new world, without clearly understanding what was happening to him.

Hephaestion took a deep breath and looked at his surroundings. He then looked downwards and saw a very familiar hand onto his. He looked sideways and saw the last image he had ever wanted to see, the dead body of his beloved soul mate and husband.

Tears came out from his recently open eyes and fell along his dry cheeks until they pooled in his chipped lips.

He forced himself to look at his mate and he saw the peaceful expression on his face, maybe the king had passed away in his sleep.

Seconds later, a memory of their daughter Hope brought new tears to his eyes because he did not know where she was or who was looking after her; he only hoped his parents or Cleitus were by her side in this sad moment.

His mind was in turmoil and he still could not understand what was happening and why he was alive. He suddenly thought that he was living a very vivid dream, that was the only logical explanation he could think about.

Suddenly an intense light appeared on the corner of the cave and a shadow started to become clearer. Hephaestion tried to sit on the table he was lying on, however it was still a bit difficult for him to move quickly, he also did not want to release Alexander's hand from his.

He looked at the approaching silhouette and he saw the almighty Zeus in all his glory. The father of all the gods came closer and helped him to sit but keeping the mates' hands together under the protection of his bigger hand.

"Hephaestion, my dear son, you are finally awake. I was a bit worried about you" the god said patting the entwined hands together.

"Almighty Zeus, can I be bold and ask you what is happening?" the brunette said in a whisper.

"My dear child, you have always known how special you are to all the Olympians and to me particularly. You have always been able to sense us during all your life" Zeus explained but was gently interrupted by a gentle and nervous Hephaestion.

"I know but that does not explain why I am alive … again" the brunette said and he cast down his eyes.

"There was only one time when you could not sense any of us, that special time was because you had not been born yet; you were just a body made of mud; but later all the gods and goddesses gave you their gifts and when it was over and it was my turn, I might have included some extra life force and now I decided it was a good time to wake it up" Zeus explained proudly.

"Are you telling me that I will go on living?" Hephaestion asked with astonishment.

"That is right, endlessly. You are immortal now as drops of my own immortal blood is now running through your veins" Zeus explained a bit slower because he had realized it was too much information for Hephaestion to take in.

"Immortal? But will I die?" Hephaestion asked plainly.

"Yes, eventually, when the stars grow cold …" Zeus assured him.

"Could I see my daughter again?" Hephaestion asked hopeful.

"Of course and after a time you will be able to go and live with her if that is your wish. But isn't there anyone else you want to see first?" Zeus added

"I cannot think about anyone else" Hephaestion said sadly.

"How about your mate Alexander? Don't you want to see him?" Zeus asked a bit confused.

"Of course but, almighty Zeus, can't you see him lying dead by my side?" Hephaestion asked and let a loud sob come out of his clenched lips.

"Of course I can see him, son, but what I don't understand is why you are still discussing this with me instead of doing something to remedy this" Zeus said with a smirk on his face.

"Because he is dead and I am not a god!" Hephaestion dared to shout his frustration.

"So wake him up!" Zeus commanded him.

Hephaestion looked at the god more confused than before.

"Haven't I just told you that you have extra life force and immortal blood running through your veins?" Zeus asked softly.

"Yes, you have" Hephaestion whispered.

"Well, if he is the true holder of your heart and love, you will be able to transfer part of that extra life force to him and bring him back to life" Zeus assured him.

"How do I do that?" Hephaestion asked while getting off the table.

"Which was the truest gesture of love between you two? Zeus asked.

"The kiss" Hephaestion answered.

"So kiss him and mean it, Hephaestion!" Zeus said and disappeared.

Hephaestion took Alexander's corpse in his hands and peppered the cold face with tiny kisses. Then he set his own warm lips onto Alexander's and pressed them, gently at first, but imprinting more strength later while repeating in his mind "Xander, wake up, I love you and need you so much" like a mantra.

The kiss became really heated on his part but nothing was happening on Alexander's part.

Hephaestion, feeling a bit defeated and weak, was about to release those lips when he felt the tiniest of movement under his and those well-known lips began to weakly kiss him back.

Hephaestion released the tight hold he had on Alexander's face and saw in astonishment how Alexander gasped back to life, being immortal too.


	31. Day 30

_**Day Thirty: Forever with you.**_

Alexander opened his eyes just a bit because he could not tolerate the brightness inside the cave. He looked at his side and found a smiling Hephaestion looking back at him.

"Phai?" his voice was still a bit hoarse due to the lack of use.

"Yes, Xander, it is me" the brunette replied.

"Are we dreaming?" the blonde asked.

"No, my love" Hephaestion said, squeezing his hand tenderly.

"Are we dead?" the former king asked.

"Not at all" and after Hephaestion answered him, Alexander fell asleep once again.

Hephaestion checked his pulse and it was strong and steady. He spent the following hours looking at Alexander's chest going up and down rhythmically and repeatedly.

Hephaestion stepped off the table and walked around the cave and he stopped where the image of Zeus had appeared first. That part of the cave was stocked with food and drinks, chitons, boots, warm clothes and some things to clean themselves; it seemed as if a full house had been set up for them. He looked beyond that spot and discovered that the cave had a kind of turning, in it there was a bed and a bath room. He looked around and realized that the Olympians had set them into a comfortable environment because they were not allowed to go out of the cave, at least for a long time.

A whimper made Hephaestion go back where Alexander was still lying on his back. He caressed the now warm face and waited until Alexander could open his eyes wide.

"Phai, are we really alive?" Alexander asked, his voice a bit stronger than before.

"Yes, Alexander, we are alive and … we are also immortal" Hephaestion said all in one sentence, there was no other way to break the news in a different way.

"Immortal? What do you mean by that? Only the gods are immortal, how could that be possible?" Alexander asked lifting his head, but when he tried to sit, a searing pain ran along his back.

"What's wrong, love?" Hephaestion asked worried.

"My body hurts a lot" Alexander said and whimpered again.

"Alright, relax and don't worry, I remember my body hurt too but then I don´t remember anything else" Hephaestion added.

"So are you going to explain me what this is all about? It seems as if the only thing I can do and doesn't hurt is to speak so we can do that" Alexander said, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Zeus explained that I was, in fact, a creation of the gods; many of them participated in my creation and they granted me gifts. Zeus himself, apart from gifting me my life and the possibility of being born from a woman in the most traditional way, he added some extra life force that he fired up whenever I was in peril of death. However, he could not spare me my true death as he needed to kick that extra life force to bring me back. He also added that if you were the true holder of my heart and love, I would be able to bring you back to life and to me" he said and made silence for a while.

"So what do we do now?" Alexander asked in spite of still being considering everything Hephaestion had told him.

"The cave has everything we would need for a long time so I assume that we have to stay here for a while or until the gods decide that for us" Hephaestion said.

"What about Hope or your parents? Do you know anything about them? Or what happened to our kingdom?. I suppose everything is alright as they followed my instructions after my death, at least with my body" Alexander said aloud, hoping that was true.

"I am sure that Cleitus and Ptolemy made everybody obey your commands" Hephaestion assured his mate.

"Why can't I move my body without feeling pain? What is wrong with me?" Alexander asked worried.

"I think that it takes some days to recover the whole functions of our bodies so take it easy and be patient" Hephaestion asked, knowing how it would be a feat for such an active man.

"Well, I won't complain this time if this allows us to go on living" Alexander said and for the first time there was no resignation in his voice but hope.

"That's my king" Hephaestion said and kissed Alexander's lips.

"No longer a king, just Alexander, your mate and immortal lover. Thank you for that, Phai" Alexander thanked his mate by kissing him back.

"I hope we can live this immortality as a gift and not a curse" Hephaestion whispered.

"A curse? I don't understand you, my love, we have the chance to grow old together and live forever …" Alexander said, a bit hesitant.

"But we will also have to see our dear ones die before us and leave us behind …" he explained his fear.

"That is true. Well, we will have to find the best way to get over the pain when it comes to us" Alexander said and squeezed Hephaestion's hand but that simple movement made a searing pain run along his spine. He could not hide the express of pain on his face.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain again?" Hephaestion asked worried.

"Yes, as if fire were running along my body. Would you mind if I sleep for a while?" the blonde asked.

"Not at all, my love" I will be waiting for you when you wake up" Hephaestion pecked Alexander on the lips and the former Macedonian king fell asleep with a smile.

Alexander did not wake up again that day but his breathing was constant and strong. Days went by and Alexander felt stronger every passing day until he was able to get up. Hephaestion took Alexander for a walk around the cave and told him that the supplies kept appearing everyday as soon as they ran out of them.

A week later, a warm light appeared on the corner and they immediately recognized the presence of Hermes, the messenger of the gods.

"Joy to you, Hephaestion and Alexander" the god greeted them happily.

"Joy to you, Hermes. What can we do for you?" Hephaestion asked.

"My dear Hephaestion, you have always been so polite and helpful. I was really upset when I could not be at your making so I offered myself to do you a favour; I know there is an important person who really needs to know that her parents are alive and waiting for the right time to be reunited. So why don't you write a letter to your Hope and I will take it to her right away?" Hermes said smiling when he could see their happy faces.

"Thank you so much, we will do that immediately" Alexander and Hephaestion replied at the same time.

"Take this scroll and quill" Hermes offered them the magical writing utensils.

Hephaestion sat at the table, Alexander standing behind him with his hands onto his shoulders, and he started to write:

"_Dear Rabbit, _

_We have something strange to tell you, your papa and I are alive; the Olympians had granted us a wonderful gift, immortality. However we have to stay here for a while until we are ready to go to you._

_I really expect you are doing fine and we feel really sorry for letting you alone so young; it was not our decision and we really want to be with you._

_We know that what we are telling you is difficult to believe so the only way for you to do that is if you follow these clues._

_We bought you a gift for your eighth birthday; unfortunately none of us were there to give it to you so go to our chamber and look for a big wood box that is wrapped up in a silk green cloth, it is on the top left shelf. Inside the box there is pair of earrings that belonged to your grandmother Olympia; a red peplos embroidered with a Vergina star on its left shoulder and a pair of silk and fine leather sandals to match the peplos._

_There is also a scroll written and signed by your papa and me. Sorry to reveal the contents of the box but we have to tell you so you can believe us._

_The god Hermes is taking the letter to you and he will wait until you write your answer for us. If it is difficult, ask your nana or Cleitus to help you; we are sure that they will be close to you_

_We miss you, rabbit, too much and we are sending you our love._

_We are looking forward to reuniting with you soon._

_Your fathers that love you a lot,_

_Daddy and papa"_

Both men read the letter again to see if they needed to add something. When they were sure it was fine, they closed the scroll and stamped their seals that would add more credibility to the reader. They kissed the letter and gave it to Hermes who left them immediately to deliver it to the girl.

Life in the cave was slow but interesting both men really learnt about each other and they shared very and many peaceful moments. They also spoke about everything, they talked about those thorny topics that had not been totally sorted out while they were alive.

Alexander felt that he was the one who had more things to ask for forgiveness; he accepted that many times he had behaved badly and unwisely and that his lack of respect and tact had brought unhappiness to his mate. He apologized deeply and he meant every word he said. Hephaestion listened to him in silence, letting his words sip into his mind and heart. When the former king finished speaking, he remained in silence, his eyes cast down and his shoulders hunched forwards.

Hephaestion looked at him with so much love in his cerulean eyes and he only thought about putting Alexander out of his misery.

The former chiliarch sat by his blonde lover, took him in his arms and whispered in his ear:

"Thank you"

Alexander lifted his mismatched eyes and found his partner's looking back at him.

"Why?" he asked, confusion clearly seen on his face.

"Because I know how difficult all of this must be for you" Hephaestion told him.

"Everything is better because you are by my side, love" Alexander said and hid his face on Hephaestion's neck.

"I know that, I feel exactly the same" Hephaestion whispered back.

"I was so lost when you died; in seconds I lost all my confidence, you were my north, my bright guiding star and when you were gone, I lost that and the world felt as if it were an empty and cold place; not even Hope's presence helped me to fight the coldness that was crawling inside me" Alexander confessed.

Hephaestion enveloped Alexander in a tight hug and kissed the crown of his head and the blonde let a long sigh escape his lips.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to leave you, in fact that was one of my biggest fears, to think what you would do without me" Hephaestion whispered against his neck.

"That's fine, we are here for the long run" Alexander said, hugging him back.

"I hope you never have to complain against this gift" Hephaestion said.

"Never, I get the chance to live with you forever"

"Yes, that must be the biggest gift" Hephaestion said laughing.

They moved to each other at the same time and snaked their arms around the other's waist. Their lips met and started to move tenderly until Alexander granted entrance to Hephaestion's tongue that immediately started to play with its partner inside the hot and wet cavern. The kiss deepened and became a battle of lips and teeth. Hephaestion moved Alexander towards their bed until the blonde was on his back with Hephaestion covering his body from head to toes. They kissed and bit every single inch of skin that was revealed while being undressed.

Then Hephaestion moved to his side and let his hands wander over Alexander's body, making the blonde's skin tickle.

Alexander closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the moment. His body was pliant and even though it had been more than a year that they had made love, their bodies were quickly prepared and Hephaestion entered Alexander's body in a swift movement making him groan loudly.

They made love all night long, their stamina was another thing that had been enhanced with their immortality so they made each other come undone in ecstasy and throbbing passion many times.

The new day found them in each other's arms and they shared lazy kisses while snuggling closer to the other's warmth.

They had lost the notion of time but they thought it had been nearly a year since they were revived.

One morning while that were sharing their breakfast and memories form their childhood, the stone door that covered the cave rolled away and let the sun enter the cave. In that moment, almighty Zeus, accompanied by Aphrodite, came into the cave and asked them to step outside because it was time they returned and live among their dear ones.

Alexander and Hephaestion did not hesitate for a second and went outside, lifting their faces to the sun and letting the warm star to heat their skins.

"Take those horses, they know where to take you" Aphrodite said smiling.

"They look like our own war horses" Alexander said.

"They are, Bucephalus and Auburn, you will need your immortal four-legged-friends too" Zeus said.

"Thank you so much" Hephaestion said and did not care to shed some tears of joy.

"How could we repay you?" Alexander asked, as excited as Hephaestion.

"Be happy, love each other and enjoy your lives. Another important thing, Hope is not immortal but she will grow older much slower than any other person on earth; the same will happen to her soul mate Cleitus and to their children and their children and …." Zeus explained.

"Are they still together?" Alexander asked surprised.

"Of course and if you hurry up, you will attend their bonding ceremony" Aphrodite added.

"But Hope is just 8" Alexander said, nearly shouting.

""No, Hope is already 16, the time went by differently inside the cave; immortal time goes by more slowly …. So now, my dear children go and enjoy your new chance!" Zeus added.

Hephaestion and Alexander mounted their horses and let them guide them to their new destination. Two days later, the almighty horses stopped at a very big farm house, the stable boy went out to take care of the horses and asked for their names so he could tell his masters.

There was no surprise in the young boy's face but he could see it on his master's face. Cleitus ran towards the house entrance and froze in the spot when he saw his former and the brunette chiliarch waiting for him.

He ran to them while calling Hope's name aloud and embraced them tightly.

"You kept your promise to stay young and safe, Cleitus" Hephaestion said, patting the former warrior's back.

"Of course, Eros granted me the gift of growing old one year out of ten so now I am 41 and my dear mate is 16 and …." The man was interrupted by light but fast footsteps.

"Daddy, Papa!" Hope came running and hugged them while crying tears of joy.

"Let us look at you" Alexander said with unshed tears in his two coloured eyes.

"You are beautiful, Hope, so grown-up, a real woman" Hephaestion added, hugging her back.

"My little jewel became a real jewel" Cleitus said with a possessive arm around her slender waist.

Hope was as tall as Alexander but with a slender body; her eyes, two big and bright aquamarines were still her most outstanding feature. Her hair was still fair but with a shade of dark honey and bronze. Her body was really harmonious and they were sure that she made more than one head turn while walking around.

"Let's get inside, you must be tired and apart from that, we want to know how this happened. We are not complaining, of course, juts feeling curious" Hope said and, taking Cleitus's hand in hers, they walked towards the house.

Alexander and Hephaestion could not believe their eyes; their sweet Hope was already a woman and ready to live her own life.

Agaia was still living with them, acting no longer as her nana but as a kind of chaperone. The older woman was so surprised and happy to see them that she caught Alexander in her arms. However, she suddenly stepped backwards, asking for her king's forgiveness.

"Nothing to apologize for, Agaia, I am no longer a king, just a mate, a father and a friend. I am the one who has to thank you for taking such good care of our daughter" he said while hugging her instead.

"It has always been my pleasure, you have always made me feel like family" she added.

"That is because you are" Cleitus said. Then he turned round and looked at Hephaestion in his still cerulean eyes.

"I imagine you have bad news for me, my friend, about my parents, am I alright?" Hephaestion asked sadly.

"Yes, we are sorry but they passed away five years ago in their sleep but they were calm and happy knowing that you two were alive. They took good care of my Hope too" Cleitus explained.

Alexander moved towards his mate and hugged him tightly while the brunette looked for his comfort in his husband's arms.

"Well no more long faces, we are happy to have you here, especially because we are getting married in two days" Hope announced happily.

""And who had you asked for permission? Alexander asked seriously.

"Grandaddy Amyntas gave it to me before he passed away" Hope said, a bit nervous.

"I was just asking, rabbit" Alexander said smiling .

Two days later, Hope and Cleitus had their bonding ceremony surrounded by their close friends and her fathers. They decided to live all together as the house was big enough for them and they assured the newly bonded couple that they would not interfere in their relationship.

Two years later, the loud cry of a new born filled the farm house with happiness and joy, a baby boy with the hair as black as coal and his eyes as blue as the Aegean sea; a baby boy born from an outstanding young woman who had been conceived due to the true love between her two fathers.

A new cycle of life had just begun and it would keep rolling and rolling forever.


	32. Epilogue

_**Epilogue.**_

_People have been born since the beginning of times, since the gods decided that this ball of land and water they called earth was too empty and silent._

_Good and bad people populated the earth, all of them sharing the same place and having almost the same opportunities._

_Unluckily, not all the people took the right choices and that gave origin to many possibilities, mostly bad ones._

_Fortunately, there was once a boy who met a prince and found a friend; a youth who dared to love an heir and found his real soul mate, a man who could see beyond a king and find the real man in it; a man who gave birth to his own daughter and became a loving father._

_He was a man, a remarkable man who fought and loved, that was loved as well as hated, but who woke in the Olympians the need to have more people like him on the face of the earth._

_A man who had to die to become immortal; a man whose love revived his own mate; a man who simply went on living and loving and fighting for what he believed it was true._

_A man whose name is Hephaestion Amyntoros, mate of Alexander, father of Hope, friend of many and a gift from the gods to humankind … a remarkable man who would live forever or until the stars grew cold …_

Finis.


End file.
